Heaven's Revolt Against Hell
by Fantasyandromancelover
Summary: A rebellious vigilante, a strong outcast, a sheltered heiress, and a god fearing gypsy start a revolution to save their city from an insane judge and a corrupted preist who use law and religion to abuse the people.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay because some people are a little eager for this to come sooner I've decided to work on it now but I don't expect anything fast on updates because I'm still working on Tale of Tales.**

No one knew where he came from or who his family was. He was only two years when they found him toddling on the steps of the cathedral. When they asked him who he was and where he lived all he could say was Natsu. They assumed that was his name so they called him that and since he was found at the church the soldiers brought him to Invel Yura the archdecon. Invel was the head of the church of Fiore, when it came to anything religious the people would go to the cathedral and consult him.

"Forgive the intrusion my lord." A soldier said Invel allowed him access into his chambers. "But we found this child at the cathedral."

Invel looked down at the salmon haired toddler.

"Where do you come from child?"

But he could not answer.

"Where is your family?"

But he still could not answer.

"I'm afraid he's much too young to answer your questions my lord." The solider told him. "What do you suppose we do with him?"

"Try to locate his family, ask if anyone in town has lost a child. If nothing turns up send him to the orphanage."

"Yes sir. Come along boy."

He picked up the toddler and left the cathedral. On that same day Captain Silver Fullbuster had just returned to Fiore from Tartaros. He was a soldier of the church meaning his job was to defend both the church and the religious rights of the people of Fiore. A few years prior he had been summoned to fight a great war in Tartaros to prevent invaders from taking over Fiore and plunging it into a country of tranny. Though Fiore had won the war he had disappeared and was declared missing in action until he stood proudly, muscular and handsome clad in armor looking triumphant and he seemed to be overwhelmed with happiness.

"Captain Fullbuster."

"Evening my lord." He greeted the archdecon.

"It's good to see you again and here I thought you were dead."

"I almost was. The war was brutal and those savages from Tartaros showed no mercy, when our final battle ended my body was broken in ways you couldn't even imagine. I couldn't even crawl, I could lie there in agony and wait for death to claim me. Then she appeared."

"Who?"

"When I first saw her I thought that she was an angel. She and her friends carried me back to their camp where she spent everyday nursing me back to health. I never knew a woman so kind...Or beautiful in my entire life."

"Why captain has Cupid's arrow finally pierced your heart?"

"You could say that."

"Who is she?"

"Her name is Mika."

"Is she a noblewoman?"

"My Lord I'm afraid that she's not exactly a woman that you would approve of."

"Dear God don't tell me she's one of those tramps from that brothel you used to hang around."

"No but she's... She's a gypsy."

"A gypsy?!" He hissed in disgust. Now Invel was not as an archdecon should be. Though he was pious he was alas very prejudice and judgemental. He believed that only a few selection of people were welcome to the grace of the God while others he believed were condemned the minute they took their first breath on this Earth. One of those groups of people he believed in that case were the gypsies. "Captain Fullbuster how could you a soldier of the church allow yourself to have such feelings for a gypsy? Do you not know the evil that race is filled with?"

"Oh Invel even the Archbishop agrees that rumor about gypsies being involved in witchcraft and black magic is just a bunch nonsense made up by some prejudice pope. Mika is just as God fearing as you and I are."

"The gypsies do not serve God, they only serve the devil."

"Not my Mika."

"You must forget this woman Captain. She will only bring about your end."

"I cannot forget her. We are married."

"Married?"

"Yes and we have a child."

"Oh Captain what have you done?"

"All I've done is fall in love and start a family. Unfortunately we do not have a stable home to raise our son in. We have decided to take refuge here until I can find us a suitable house."

"A gypsy woman and child in my cathedral? I won't allow it!"

"I've already spoken to the Archbishop and he says that she and my child are welcome to sanctuary. You cannot deny either of them."

It was true. He couldn't. According to the laws of both Christianity and Catholicism all people were welcome to the sanctuary of the church. Before long Silver returned with his wife. She wore a white blouse with a long skirt while a purple shawl was wrapped around her head and bracelets were worn on her wrists. In her arms she held a bundle of swaddled clothes which were keeping her newborn son safe and warm.

When Invel saw her he immediately felt disgust and revulsion until he saw her take down her shawl. She had long raven black hair that shined in the light and shimmering grey eyes. She was beautiful, so beautiful in fact that Invel found himself overcome with an emotion he had never felt before.

"Well what do you think?" Silver asked Mika.

"It's beautiful." She said admiring the church. "This will make a suitable home for us for now."

Suddenly the baby in her arms stirred and began to wail.

"Uh-oh I believe he's getting hungry." She sat down and began to nurse him. "There now Gray, there's no need to cry. Mother's here."

As he ate the baby took hold of one of his mother's fingers with his tiny hand while his father glanced down at him with pride. The day of his son's birth had been the happiest day of his life. True little Gray had not been born looking like normal children but he was perfectly healthy and that was enough for his parents. Once the infant gave a tiny burp followed by a soft yawn his parents knew that he had eaten his fill so Mika tucked him into the little basket cradle she had made for him to sleep in.

"Now my dear let us rest." Silver told his wife. "We both have a busy day tomorrow."

With that said they both kissed and went to sleep on the cot that had been provided for them. While the three of them slept soundly through the night, Invel found himself being plagued by visions of Mika. As the days passed he found himself constantly watching Mika from afar and his lustful desire for her continued to grow. He tried to resist, he told himself that it wasn't right but he just couldn't stop having these feelings. Then one day he couldn't take it anymore and he had convinced himself that these feelings was the work of witchcraft. So in the evening when Silver was away he confronted her.

"Oh you startled me your grace." She said when he walked into the area where she was standing. "What brings you by?"

"Don't play the innocent with me! You know why I'm here!"

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"You! You siren! You temptress! You witch! You have bewitched my mind! Distracted me from my studies! Filled my nights with useless dreams!"

"Not I. I've only seen you once or twice but I don't know you."

"But I know you! I've watched you flaunting yourself in my cathedral! But it is not your fault. It is the fault of the demon the lives with in you. You're only hope is to let me save you."

"Save me?"

"Accept my guidance and allow me to cleanse your soul of this demon. But you must forsake all others except for me. Accept me as your one and only."

"You're deluded!" She gasped. "How dare you! I love my husband and my child! I wouldn't forsake them for anything!"

"Do you not wished to be saved from the demon in your soul!"

"The only demon I know is in this room with me right now. I'll never do what you want!"

"So be it but I am the archdecon and it is my duty to God to rid the world of witches and demons like you!"

He lunged for her with his knife. She dodged his attack, grabbed her baby from his cradle, and fled for her life. As she ran she screamed for help and desperately tried to escape the mad man.

"Help!" She screamed. "Somebody please help me!"

Sadly however no one came and in the end Invel took her life. Silver had heard his wife's screams but he had come too late. He found her lying dead upon the ground.

"What did you do?" He asked Invel in horror. "What have you done?!"

"Forgive me but she had to be killed." Invel said. "She was a witch who had cursed me."

Silver took his wife's body in his arms and began to weep in agony. He then looked at Invel with eyes full of rage and hurt.

"You..." He hissed. "You devil from hell!"

He lunged for Invel's throat and attempted to slit it with a cutting knife but he was stopped by the other soldiers who had heard the ruckus and went to see what was happening. They pulled Silver off of Invel and ripped the knife from his hand.

"What's happened here?" One soldier asked.

"Arrest this man!" Invel shouted. "He killed this innocent woman! I tried to stop him but I was too late! Thank God you all arrived, if you hadn't he would've killed me too!"

"He's a liar!" Silver shouted. "He killed my wife!"

"That is ridiculous!" The soldier said. "Invel is a man of the church. He would never harm anyone, especially not a woman! Take him away!"

The soldiers did as he ordered. Once they were gone Invel heard small whimpers coming from the bundle in the dead gypsy woman's arms.

"That's right they had a child together." He took the crying baby and looked at his face. "My God it's a demon! A demon born into a human body! Clearly God's judgement on Silver! Of course what else could I expect from a child spawn of a gypsy!"

At first Invel decided to kill the infant but after thinking it over he decided to not only spare him but to raise him as his own believing that one day the child would be of use to him. So he took him in but he kept him isolated in the church and never once allowed him to leave it ever.


	2. Chapter 2

Now we haven't forgotten about Natsu. The little toddler found on the cathedral steps. The soliders searched everywhere but they found no couple who claimed to have lost a child so they left him at the orphanage. Unfortunately the people who ran the orphanage were cruel and greedy and cared nothing for the children there. Mard Geer was the head of the orphanage and was a tyrant among the children. He saw to it that children wore rags, ate only scraps, and then work them like dogs at the work house. He also had strict rules and if the children didn't obey his rules then they would suffer dreadful punishments such as whippings or beatings or starvation and sometimes even death. He once hung a child for trying to steal extra food from the kitchen.

As soon as Natsu turned five he was immediately sent to the work house where he worked day in and day out in the mines, searching for any form of valuable material. And what was his reward for all his hard work? Sleep on a tattered mattress springs stricken out and dining on cold gruel, moldy bread crust, and chicken bones.

"Work faster you little runt!" Mard snapped at Natsu as he dug through the mines, his hands, feet, and face stained with dirt. He was now twelve years old and his entire body was covered in scars that he had received from the whippings and beatings. "Remember if you don't work then you don't eat!"

"Yes sir." The boy said weakly.

After working in the mines all day Natsu was then assigned to go into town and buy some tobacco and a bottle of rum for Mard Geer. Natsu was so very tempted to use the money given to him to buy a loaf of bread or a few apples or anything better to eat than what he was given everyday. But he knew that Mard Geer planned to count the money to make sure that he got the exact amount change that he normally received when those two were purchased. Natsu was sent to buy them from a crooked alcohol and tobacco sales man who didn't care how old his customers were just so long as they had money.

On his way back to the orphanage he saw that an old woman had fallen over and dropped her groceries. He put down the tobacco and rum he bought and went to help the old woman to her feet while also picking up her groceries.

"Thank you young man." She said. "You'd be surprised how many people have just walked by me whenever this happened."

"Do you need help getting back home?"

"Oh no I'll be alright but here's a little reward for helping me."

She then placed three gold coins in his hand.

"I can't take this." He told her.

"Nonsense an act of kindness deserves a reward. Now go buy yourself something nice."

"Thank you."

Using those three gold coins Natsu bought a loaf of bread from the bakery, sausage from the butcher, a fat salmon from the fish market, three apples from the fresh market, and a bottle of fresh milk from the dairy farm. He then placed them in his bag which he hid outside in the alleyway next to the orphanage so Mard wouldn't find it. After that he gave rum, tobacco, and change to Mard and went back to the alley to enjoy the fruits of his labor.

"Oh boy I wonder which one I'll eat first." He said opening his bag. "Hey where's that salmon I bought? I know I put it in here somewhere."

Meow!

He looked up to see something moving around under that old bed sheet that Mard had thrown out and he smelled fish underneath there.

"Oh no you don't." He said getting mad. "You mangy alley cats aren't going to steal my dinner! If you're hungry then go eat some rats!"

He grabbed the bed sheet and ripped it off of whatever was hiding under it. However there wasn't a mean alley cat under there. Instead it was a little baby kitten with blue fur that was munching on the salmon which luckily was still wrapped up.

"Hey you're just a kitten." He said. "Where's your mama little fella?"

The kitten only looked at him.

"Oh you don't have a mama do ya? That's okay I don't have a mama either."

Natsu leaned over to grab him. The kitten hissed a little and tried to claw at him but he missed and Natsu picked him up. He struggled to get down but Natsu had good hold on him.

"Chill out buddy I'm not going to hurt you. Oh man you're just skin and bones, you're just as starved as I am. I guess I could share some of my bounty with you."

Natsu began to pull pieces of the salmon off and feed it to the kitten. After that he decided to help himself to the bread. He was just to take a great big bite of the loaf when he noticed one of the other orphans staring at him. Her name was Lisanna and she had come here with her older brother and sister after their parents died in a fire. She had stepped outside to throw away some garbage from the kitchen when she spotted him. She looked at the bread in his hands, her eyes filled with starvation. But without saying a word she started to go back inside.

"Lisanna wait!" Natsu called. Natsu couldn't believe how selfish he was being. Here he was about to Chow down on his own personal feast when there were others inside who were just as hungry as he was.

"Yes Natsu what is it?" She asked him.

"You wanna help me divide all this food up so everybody can have some?"

"I'd love too."

Natsu made absolutely sure that every one of the orphans got something to eat. Evergreen, Laxus, Lisanna, her sister Mirajane, and her brother Elfman. Laxus and Mirajane were the oldest of the orphans, in fact they were teenagers but due to malnourishment their physical bodies couldn't mature properly.

"Where did you get this food?" Laxus asked Natsu.

"You didn't steal them did you?" Mirajane asked him.

"No I bought them."

"Where did you get the money?" Laxus asked.

"An old woman gave me some."

"Well thank you for sharing your food with us." Lisanna said. "You're so kind Natsu."

"How can we ever repay you?" Mirajane said.

"Just don't tell Mard where the food came from."

"We won't, we promise." Elfman said.

"Hey Elfman is hogging all the sausage!" Evergreen complained.

"I am not!"

"Yes you are you pig!"

"I'm the pig? Who's the girl with the fat belly?!"

"You take that back!"

"Why don't you make me?!"

"Oh boy here we go again." Laxus said rolling his eyes.

Natsu laughed to himself as he watched the boy and girl bicker over which one of them was the bigger pig. That night as Natsu was getting ready for bed he noticed that something was moving around underneath the blanket. Pulling it back he saw that it was the kitten he had met earlier.

"Where did you come from?" He asked him and the kitten responded by jumping down and nuzzling Natsu's leg. "Well I can see that you like me better now but I can't keep you here. If Mard finds you here I'll be in a lot of trouble."

He picked up the kitten and went back out to the alleyway where he put the kitten down but then he looked up at the boy with cute, sad eyes. Cute sad eyes that Natsu just couldn't resist.

"Okay you can stay with me."

As if he could understand his words, the kitten jumped into Natsu's arms and started nuzzling and licking his cheek.

"Wow that made you real happy huh? Hmm..Happy...I think that's what I'll call you. Happy and you're going to be my best friend."

He brought him inside and back to his room where they crawled into his old mattress and fell asleep. Hours later Natsu awoke to hear Mard shouting in anger.

"Where did you get this?!"

"I-I-I-" He heard a meek voice stutter and realized that it was Lisanna. He immediately jumped from his bed and went to the source of where their voices were coming from. He saw Mard holding Lisanna roughly by the arm with his free hand prepared to strike her.

"I'll ask you again!" He shouted. "Where did you get that milk?!"

"I...I found it." She said trembling.

"Liar! You stole it!"

He brought his hand down to hit her only to hit Natsu who ran in front of her. His striking him across the face felt like fire burning his skin and he was knocked to floor. But then he quickly picked himself back up.

"I gave Lisanna the milk! Which I bought with money!"

Mard released Lisanna then grabbed Natsu.

"I bet you stole that money you brat!"

"No that money was given to me. I haven't stolen anything!"

"You expect me to believe that?! Who would give money to a dirty piece of nothing like you! You stole that money and you know what I do with thieves here!"

He dragged Natsu down into the cellar that was under the building and threw him down there. Happy jumped on Mard's soldier and bit his neck. He cried out in pain then threw the kitten down there with Natsu.

"Say your prayers tonight boy because you hang at dawn tomorrow!"

"You can't hang me! I did nothing wrong!"

"You stole!"

"I did not!"

"Lie all you want! It won't save you!"

With that said Mard slammed the cellar doors and locked them.

"You monster! You better hope that I hang tomorrow! Because if I get out of this alive you'll be sorry! I swear you'll be sorry!"

Natsu quickly tried to break down the doors, he kicked and punched and threw things at them but it was no use. They just refused to open meaning that there was no escape and that tomorrow he would die. He was so afraid. He didn't want to die now. He had to get out of here, he just had to because if he didn't then he was done for.

"Come on open. Please open!" He begged as he tried hitting the door with a rock he found. But it didn't open and he ended up smashing his thumb with the rock. "Ow!"

He sucked his thumb to soothe the pain but when he finished doing it he started to cry. Happy nuzzled up next to him and tried to comfort him the best he could even though it would probably do nothing to save him from his fate.


	3. Chapter 3

Erza Scarlet looked at her reflection in the mirror of her room. She tightened the corset of her dress, applied rouge to her lips, and perfume to her neck. She had to look her best if she wanted to please her client and get paid. She had been working as a prostitute at the local brothel ever since she was sixteen. It happened after her lover had disappeared and she had grown up an orphan so she didn't have any family to help her out. Prostitution was her only chance of survival in this world. She was disgusted and ashamed by what she had to do to get by but she didn't know what else to do.

Once she finished getting ready to she went outside the brothel for her client. Apparently he was some aristocrat who had become bored with his marriage and was looking for a little excitement. She didn't like taking married clients but this guy promised her twenty pieces of silver if she satisfied him and she was desperate so she agreed.

As she waited for the miserable cheat she saw a man walking by dragging a boy behind him. The boy's hands were tied and he was trembling, sweating, and looking as white as paper. He stopped at a nearby post and tied the end of the rope which kept the boy's hands tied to it then he gagged him with a kerchief.

"Now I'm going to look for a private area to carry out your punishment in and don't bother trying to escape or call out for help because you'll never undo that rope and nobody in this part of town will ever help you."

As soon as the man left the boy began struggling to break free from the ropes holding him. Erza stared at him concerned. She looked around the area. Her client hadn't arrived yet so she figured that she could help him out. She walked to the post and removed the kerchief from his mouth.

"Are you alright kid?" She asked him.

"Help me! Please help me!" He begged her. "That man is going to hang me! And I didn't do anything I swear!"

"Alright calm down I'll get you out of this." She pulled a knife from the garter under her dress and used it to cut the rope binding him. As she was setting him free she noticed the scars and bruises on his arms, hands, and feet. She also noticed how horribly thin and frail his body was. "My God what did that man do to you? Where are your parents?"

"I don't have parents."

"Oh you're an orphan then?"

"Uh-huh."

"Do you have anywhere to live?"

"I used to live at the orphanage but I can't go back there. If I do I'm done for."

"So you don't have anywhere else to go?"

"No but I've decided to join the army."

"But you're just a kid."

"So? I'm a pretty tough kid."

Erza rolled her eyes then thought for a moment. Her client would be here any minute and if she wasn't there then bye-bye goes those twenty pieces of silver she needed. But this kid was all alone and she could tell that he probably wasn't the brightest star in the heavens.

"Well so much for twenty pieces of silver." She sighed. "Come with me."

She took him by the hand and before he knew it the boy found himself in a building full of busty young women flirting, drinking, and putting on make up and provacative clothing. Erza led him upstairs to her room, sat him on top of a table, left him alone for about two minutes then came back with a bowl containing water and a rag. She rung the water out of the rag and used it to wipe the dirt from his body and clean his cuts.

"So do you have a name or what?" She asked him.

"It's Natsu."

"Okay Natsu my name is Erza. So do you have any family? Grandparents? Brothers? Sisters?"

"No at least I don't think so. Mard Geer said that they found me wandering around alone."

"Who's Mard Geer?"

"He's the man who runs the orphanage but he's horrible. He makes us work all day in the work house and he never gives us enough to eat and he beats us and if we break one of his rules then he'll hang us."

"He sounds like a monster."

"No kidding."

"I would report him to the authorities but the head of the law is no help. He thinks that all people who live in poverty are just criminals who haven't broken any laws yet."

Meow!

"Happy!" Natsu cried joyfully.

Erza and Natsu looked to see a kitten at the window of her room. Natsu got down from the table and opened the window allowing the kitten to jump inside.

"You found me buddy. Boy are you smart."

"Who's this?" Erza asked.

"This is Happy."

"He sure is a cute little thing. No doubt Milliana would go nuts if she saw you."

"Who's Milliana?"

"She's a friend of mine who works here which reminds me I need to have a talk with my fellow tramps."

"What's a tramp?"

"Nevermind. Listen you just sit up here in my room for awhile. Stay out of my closet, don't leave from here til I get back, and there's some bread and strawberry jam in the cupboard if you get hungry. I should be back in thirty minutes."

"Okay."

She left him in her room and went downstairs to speak with the other residents of the brothel. The other residents were Kagura, Milliana, and Cana. Erza knew she had to be very persuasive when trying to convince them to let Natsu stay.

"So you want to keep a boy that you found on the streets?" Kagura asked when Erza told them the news.

"Yep."

"Erza you know our policy." Cana said before taking a sip of booze. "If they don't if they don't got dough."

"He's just a child, an orphan. He's got no where else to go and we all can relate to that can't we?"

"True but Erza how do we know this boy isn't some pick pocket thief?" Milliana asked. "I mean we don't know him."

"He has a kitten."

"I say we let him stay." Milliana said excitedly.

"Milli!" Kagura said.

"Sorry but I love kitty cats!"

"How about this we need someone to clean up around here while we're at work." Erza suggested. "He's used to doing hard labor at the work house so I doubt he'll complain about keeping tidy here."

The three women talked it over with each other for five minutes then came to a conclusion.

"Alright Erza he can stay." Kagura said.

"But he has to work." Cana said.

"And let us play with his kitty." Milliana said.

"And he can't peek on us when we're working or changing or go through our clothes." Cana added.

"And he's your responsibility." Kagura finished.

"Fine by me. I'll go tell him." She went back to her room. "Good news Natsu they said that you can stay but you have to-"

"Hey Erza what's this?" Natsu was holding up a brassiere.

"Give that!" She cried snatching it from him while blushing. "I told you to stay out of my closet."

"Sorry."

"I'll show you sorry! Come here you!" She then gave his bottom a spank with her hand.

"Ow!"

"And you'll get that everytime you go through mine or anyone else's closet. Understand?"

"Yes ma'am."

...

Meanwhile outside of town a band of gypsies were setting up camp for the night. Among them was their leader Jellal Fernandes. He had recently escaped from prison and was trying to start over with a new life. Over the years he had trained himself to be a master thief and pick pocket while also using parlor tricks and illusions to get away from the law. A clever and crafty man he was, able to outsmart almost anyone. He had tried honest work but in this day and time nobody trusts a gypsy so he decided that if the world was going to call him a liar and thief then that's what he was going to be.

Before going to sleep he decided to scout out the area one last time to make sure that no one had followed them. It appeared that no one was around so that meant that he and the other gypsies were safe to sleep for the night. No...No he was wrong there was someone there. It was a little girl, about nine years old and she was sleeping under a tree.

He kneeled down and gently shook her awake. When she woke up and saw him she ran behind the tree to hide.

"Hey, hey, it's okay I'm not going to hurt you." He told her softly. "What's your name?"

She didn't answer for the longest time but eventually she said.

"Juvia."

"Where are your mother and father?"

"They're in heaven."

"So they're dead huh?"

She nodded.

"It was the poxy."

"I'm sorry."

"Are you going into town?"

"Yes."

"May I go with you? I don't know the way."

"I'm sorry young lady but I don't have can't room for another mouth to feed."

"Oh no I'm not asking you to let me stay with you. I just need to get to town, you can drop me off at the church. That's all I ask and I'll pay you." She stuck her hand in her dress pocket and pulled out two copper pieces. "It's not much but it's all I have."

Jellal looked at the girl and thought for awhile. On one hand he already had to worry about his fellow gypsies while trying to avoid getting captured by the law and if he had to worry about a child then it would make his life a lot harder. But on the other hand he too had lost his parents at a young age and he had been forced to grow up alone with no one to care or look after him. His morals over shadowed his common sense.

"I'm sorry but I can't just drop you off somewhere."

"Oh... Okay."

"So I'm afraid you'll just have to live with me."

"Really?"

"Just as long as you don't get me into trouble with the law."

"Alright."

Jellal then picked up the girl and took her back to his camp.


	4. Chapter 4

Now remember that baby who Invel had taken in? Well ten years had passed since that day and the child named Gray grew up behind the stone walls of the cathedral under Invel's care and guidance. He taught him how to read and write, he educated him in the ways of the bible, and he taught him to always respect the church. However he forbade Gray from ever leaving the church, you see Gray was not born looking like normal children. For reasons unknown Gray was born with black scars and disfigurements all over his body but he had also been born with an extraordinary amount of strength. He was only ten years old and he was already as strong as a full grown man.

"Gray come down here." Invel called when he entered the bell tower. At his command a ten year old boy with a scarring body jumped down and landed on his feet.

"You called sir?"

"Happy birthday Gray. I brought you a little treat."

He handed him a small basket containing blackberries.

"Oh boy my favorite!" He said excitedly. "Thank you Invel."

"You are most welcome. Now let me see how old are you again? Ten I believe?"

"Yes sir."

"Hmmm...Soon you shall begin your journey into manhood and once that happens you must be wary of the temptations of man. But we can worry about that another day, I won't trouble you with any lectures on your birthday. You can do whatever you want today."

"Anything I want?"

"Within reason of course."

"Okay can I go outside."

"No."

"But you said that I could do whatever I wanted today."

"Within reason. You leaving the church is not within reason."

"Why not? It's boring up here Invel. I want to go outside and make friends."

"Gray I'm afraid that it is impossible for you to make friends."

"Why is that?"

"Gray you are aware of what you look like correct?"

"Yes."

"And you do know that normal children don't look the way you do right?"

"Well no. I've never really seen other kids...At least not up close."

"Well they don't have these awful marks on their bodies like you do."

"I kind of figured that...Invel why do you think I look like this?"

"Because my boy you are a demon born into a human body."

"What? But demons are evil and I'm not evil."

"That is because I raised you in the sanctity of the church. Under my guidance you are able to suppress the darkness in yourself. But if you were exposed to the world of temptation the demon inside you would no doubt be released. That is why my boy you must never leave this church."

"Does that mean I have to stay here all my life?"

"Of course not. Once I remove the demon from your body you shall be free to join the outside world."

"How long until then?"

"Patience is a virtue my boy. In time you will have your wish but for now you must remain here and do as I say."

"Yes sir." He sighed.

"Now don't give me that look. You know I only do this for your own good. If you were to go outside now not only would you be exposed to temptation but the people would fear you, mistreat you, and God forbid worse. I'm only doing this to keep you safe. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Good boy now you stay here and enjoy your birthday treat while I go back to working on my alchemy."

"Sir isn't the church against alchemy?"

"That's what those ignorant fools like Pope Makarov and Sister Porlyuscia wants you to think. But believe me I know more about the subject then they do."

With that said Invel left Gray alone. After eating his blackberries he looked down at the town from the balcony of the bell tower like he normally did. He watched the people like he normally did. He watched the miller sell flour, he watched the weavers weave fabric, he watched merchants try to sell materials, and saw a wagon pull up with a band of gypsies inside. He couldn't count how many times he had heard Invel go on and on about gypsies were the scourge of the earth. It made him sick with annoyance. How he didn't go nuts from listening to it so long he'll never know.

A few minutes later Gray decided to sneak down and see who was coming to the cathedral to pray today. He saw a middle aged man, an old woman, a young couple, and a little girl. Now Gray had never seen other children before but it was always from a distance and he couldn't really make em out that much. But this girl was in the church and he could see her better.

When the girl finished saying her prayers she stood up, grabbed the sides of her skirt, and began to spin on her toes while humming a tune to herself. The boy wanted a closer look so he carefully and quietly slid down a rope and leaned over the edge to see her more clearly. But he was leaning too far out and he ended up slipping off the edge and falling down but he was close enough to where he didn't hurt himself real bad.

"Who's there?" She asked.

Gray quickly got up to his feet and went to hide under some curtains nearby before she could get a good look at him.

"Sorry I uh...I slipped and fell."

"Oh you're not hurt are you? Here let me see."

She tried to pull the curtains back.

"No! Go away! Shoo! Go on! Shoo! Shoo!" He told her.

"You know I'm not a bird right?"

"Just leave me alone!"

"What's your problem? I only want to see if you're okay?"

It was struggle which resulted in the curtains getting pulled down completely and he was exposed to her. His hands covered his face in shame.

"Oh dear." She said. "You're more hurt than I thought. Look at all these marks, I better go find a doctor."

Not exactly the reaction Gray was expecting but at least she didn't scream in bloody terror like Invel always said a girl would do if one ever saw him.

"Uh actually." He said lowering his hands from his face. "I didn't get these from the fall. I was born like this."

"Oh.."

He saw pity in her eyes which he expected but what confused him was that her eyes held no trace of fear and disgust. Then she took him completely by surprise by saying.

"You have cute eyes."

"Huh?"

"You have cute eyes." She repeated.

"That's it? Aren't you afraid of me?"

"Should I be?"

"Well look at me. Don't I look scary?"

"Well what's so scary about you? I mean you do have those odd markings and maybe if you were a grown up I would be more frightened but you're just a little boy."

"Hey I'm not that little! I'm ten years old today!"

"So it's your birthday today?"

"Yes."

"Happy birthday. I wish I had a present to give you. Oh wait!" She took a bracelet off of her wrist and handed it to him. It was woven together from brightly colored thread, twine, and beads. "Jellal says that bracelet will bring you good luck if you wear it and I think that you could use some luck."

Gray was flabbergasted. No one had ever given him a present before not even Invel. Sure he brought him an occasional treat and allowed him to skip his lessons sometimes but that was it. He never gave him any special gifts.

"Do you like it?" She asked.

"It is nice but don't you need it."

"I can always make another one. I made that one."

"You made this?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"How?"

"It's very easy. Do you want me to show you?"

"Okay."

"First you start by-"

"Juvia!"

Just then the girl was picked up by a man with a tattoo over his eye.

"Get away from him!" He told her.

"Why?" She asked him.

"Go away you! I don't want you spying on us for your boss!" He told Gray. "Beat it!"

Hurt and afraid, Gray ran away toward the stairway.

"Oh shame on you Jellal. Now you've hurt his feelings." The girl scolded.

"Honey he's Invel's stooge. He's trouble for people like us."

"We were just talking. Why did you have to be so mean to him?"

"Sorry Juvia but we can't take any chances with anyone who's apart of this church."

"Why?"

"Because the archdecon of this church is out to get us so we have to be careful and frankly I don't like you hanging around in this place."

"Oh Jellal."

"Come on our wagon is leaving."

From a distance Gray watched them get into the wagon and once the wagon was gone he slumped down on to the floor and began to examine the bracelet that she had left him. She didn't scream or run away. She didn't call him names or hit him. She was shocked by his appearance and she did feel pity for him but she wasn't afraid or disgusted. She had said that he had cute eyes and that he wasn't scary. And to top it all she had given him a present. But he couldn't let Invel see it, he remembered that one time he found a gypsy tailsman in the sanctuary and he threw it into the fireplace to burn. He didn't want that to happen to the first and only gift he had ever been given.

"Something troubling you my boy?" Invel asked him later that evening. "You've hardly touched your food."

"Sorry I was just thinking about some of the people I saw today."

"See anyone unusual?"

"No. I mean I saw the miller and the weaver and the merchant and a few gypsies."

"Ugh! A horrid race. If I had my way I would exterminate them all like the bothersome insects they are. How I loathe the way they practice witchcraft and worship the devil."

"But I saw a gypsy praying in the sanctuary today."

"What? Gray what I've told you about going to the sanctuary without me?"

"I'm sorry I forget heh, heh."

"Right so a gypsy dares to enter my sanctuary. Curse Pope Makarov and his law that everyone is welcome to sanctuary. Sometimes I wonder what goes on in that head of his."

"I'm sure he thinks the same thing about you." Gray mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Well dinner is finished now off to bed boy."

"Yes sir." And Gray went off to do as he was told.


	5. Chapter 5

So as strange and unorthodox as it was, Natsu was raised in a brothel by prostitutes. However he wasn't exposed to anything that a boy his age shouldn't see and Erza and her friends came to adore him. He worked hard with keeping their rooms and brothel clean, he respected all the women in the brothel though there were moments when he couldn't resist going through their underwear and that usually resulted in Erza giving him a good lump on the head or a spanken on the behind. But that aside he was a good and hard working young boy.

When Erza had saved up enough money she sent Natsu to school. At first he didn't want to go, believing that he didn't need to learn to read or write or do arithmetic but Erza was determined that Natsu would have a good education and a better future than what she had. Now Natsu was illiterate so before sending him off she decided to teach him how to read and write so he wouldn't be embarrassed in front of the other students. Once he had learned how to read and write properly she sent him off to school. For the first few days he was a difficult and stubborn student who refused to learn but Erza was able to straighten him out.

Ten years went by. As Natsu grew into adulthood he became very interested in the laws of Fiore and it wouldn't be long before he would learn of Judge Zeref Dragneel. He was the head of Fiore's law serving as judge, jury, and executioner. In the beginning he was a fine officer of the law but over the years he had become corrupted. First it was in prisoning people over harmless misdemeanors and then it was locking up anyone who was accused of a crime regardless of whether there was evidence or not.

Natsu first encountered the judge when he was fifteen years old and he was on his way back from his school when he spotted him about to arrest a miller for not paying his taxes.

"Have mercy my lord!" The miller begged at Zeref's feet.

"You have put off paying your taxes for far too long Miller."

"You must understand, I needed that money to pay for my son's operation. I give you my word that I'll work off every piece that I owe."

"Your empty promises mean nothing to me. Take him away."

"No please! You can't! My family will starve without me!"

But they put the poor man in shackles and dragged him away.

"What are you doing?" Natsu asked the judge.

"Step aside boy this is none of your concern."

"Why did you arrest that man? He did nothing wrong."

"He refused to pay his taxes."

"He didn't refuse. He said that he was going to pay them and prison was never the penalty for unpaid taxes."

"Well times have changed. It's time that these peasants learned to respect the law. Not get out of my way."

He got on his horse and rode off.

"I don't understand Erza." Natsu told her when he came home later that day. "How could they arrest that man like that? And for what? Running a little late on taxes?"

"I'm afraid that's how Judge Dragneel has been running Fiore for the past three years. He started out as a very just man who kept Fiore safe but then one day he just went crazy. Enforcing these ridiculous laws and arresting people for unfair and unjust reasons."

"Does the queen know about this? Surely she wouldn't allow his methods."

"No. Of course not but I've been trying to inform her of Zeref's corrupt justice system for years but Zeref's men make absouletly sure that no one gets close enough to tell her."

"Still we can't just sit back and do nothing. We should fight back."

"I agree with you but going up against a corrupted judge isn't something you can just dive head first into."

As Natsu watched as more innocent people were locked away in jail he wanted to fight back. When he reached age twenty-three he had become a law student bound and determined to somehow put a stop to this judge's cruel reign by reporting his actions to her majesty Queen Hisui of Fiore and proving them.

But we'll get back to him later. Now I must introduce you to a woman. A certain woman. Lucy Heartfilia, daughter and only child of wealthy merchant Jude Heartfilia. When she was a child her father had shipped her off to a very strict boarding school so she could have the finest education and learn to be a proper lady. She had now returned to Fiore an enchanting, perfumed, and sparkling young woman with hair as yellow and beautiful as sunshine. She was also a very bright and intelligent woman who had been looking forward to returning to Fiore and putting the knowledge she learned in school to good use.

Unfortunately her father had already arranged for her to marry Captain Loke Leonhart. The Queen's captain of the guards and a well respected aristocrat. Jude had always wanted to be apart of the high society and he saw his daughter as his ticket into that group.

"But Father what if Captain Leonhart and I don't like each other?" She asked him as they rode together in their carriage.

"In time you will learn to love each other as your mother and I did when we were married."

"But Father I'm not even sure if I want to get married now. I mean I just got back from school, there's so much I want to do."

"And you shall do whatever you please my dear, after the wedding."

"But I was thinking-"

"Thinking? Not your strongest suit my darling. It's my job to think for you."

"Father why on Earth did you send me to that school if you have no intention of letting me used what I learned?"

"I never said that. You'll be able to use your talents as long as it is done under my approval. Now remember you must greet your fiance respectfully, smile at him, wile and beguile him. Remember he is one of the most important aristocrats in all of Fiore."

"Yes Father."

Lucy glanced out the window of her carriage and watched the peasants of the town. Most of them were working and trying to make a living but some of them were homeless and desperately searching for any kind of money or food. When the carriage stopped and they stepped out a crippled man walked up to them and said.

"Please good sir could you spare a piece of copper for a man who has not eaten in three days?"

"Lazy old fool! If you hunger so badly why not work for what you need?" Jude scoffed.

"Alas good sir I am a cripple so no one will give me work. Please sir I only ask for one copper piece."

"Out of my way! I do not give money to beggars!"

Jude then left taking his daughter with him.

"Father surely you could have given him a copper piece or maybe a few pieces of silver." Lucy said. "We have more money than we know what to do with. Why not be charitable?"

"Lucy I do not believe charity should be waisted on those who will not work."

"But Father he's a cripple. He can't work, it's not his fault."

"Lucy you inherited many traits from your dear mother that I admire but two of them I despise because they are useless and that is sympathy and charity for others."

"Father how is that useless? And how can you say such things about Mother? Had she seen that poor man she would not have dared left him without giving him something."

"Yes and it was behavior like that which resulted in your mother's demise. Tell me do you wish to die young as she did?"

"No Father."

"Then stop feeling sorry for these worthless and lazy peasants and focus on what you can do for yourself."

"Yes Father." She sighed.

"Now Lucy you know I don't say these things to be cruel. I only want what's best for you. Remember I promised your mother on her deathbed that I would do whatever it took to ensure that you would have a happy and fullfilling life and I intend to keep that promise."

"I know Father. I know."

Lucy's mother, Layla Heartfilia had been a very charitable woman. She went out of her way to help the poor and needy however she could. To many of the people of Fiore she was a saint. But then came that dreadful winter when she spent many days outside feeding and clothing the poor while also tending to those who had become ill. Jude had begged his wife to come inside, telling her that it was not healthy for her to be out in the cold for so long but her big heart would not allow her to abandon the poor people begging for help. She had saved many lives that winter but she had died of pneumonia.

Poor, wretched Jude blamed his wife's death on her charity toward the poor and regarded both with contempt. He only cared for wealth and status, being wealthy and rising above all others. Nevertheless there was one ray of softness in his hardened heart and that softness was his daughter Lucy who secretly wanted to continue her late mother's good deeds. Unlike her father she knew that no one was to blame for her mother's demise especially not the poor people who Layla had helped. But for now she would try to appease her father and meet this young captain who she was to wed.

Captain Loke was a very handsome and dashing young man dressed sharply in golden armor. He greeted Jude and Lucy respectfully.

"So you're my wife to be." Loke said taking Lucy's hand and kissing it. "I must say your father did not exaggerate in the least when he told me that you were a fair one."

"Yes and the rumors I hear about you being a charming flatterer weren't exaggerated also." Lucy said blushing.

"Oh believe me Miss Heartfilia, when I give a woman a compliment it is always sincere. So tell Me. Heartfilia when are we to be wed?"

"I shall make the arrangements this evening." Jude said. "In the meantime why don't the two of you take a stroll through town. Get to know each other better."

"Yes Father." Lucy said as she allowed her fiance to escort her outside.


	6. Chapter 6

Natsu knew that he was taking one hell of a risk. Sneaking into Fiore's prison and initiating a jail break were all punishable by death. But he couldn't just ignore what he had just seen. He had just seen Zeref arrest a maid named Bisca because her mistress accused her of stealing her jewelry even though she failed to provide any evidence. And to make matters worse she was ten months pregnant and due any day now. He had heard about women bearing children in prison and the poor mothers usually ended up dying in childbirth and/or delivering stillborn infants.

He had also seen her husband Alzack begging the soldiers not to take his wife. He even offered to take her place but his pleas were ignored. Now he was praying to God above that somehow his wife would be freed and that she would be able to deliver a healthy baby without having to give her life in the process. Seeing all that was the final straw for Natsu. So he decided that he would free those innocent men and women. He chose to go at night in disguise.

"Who are you?" The jail keeper asked him.

He was wearing an old frock, an apron, and a wig. He was dressed up like a maid.

"I'm the new maid." He said in a high pitched voice. "I brought you your dinner."

He held out a tray with a bowl of gruel, a plate of bread, and a goblet of water. The jail keeper took the tray and looked at Natsu strangely.

"My Lord what an ugly woman." He thought.

After that he began to eat the gruel. However the gruel had been drugged by a very special sleeping substance that Erza and her friends would sometimes take when they found a client just too horrible to be awake for. Once the jail keeper was asleep, Natsu stole his clothes, changed into them, and swiped the keys. The prisoners sat in their cells, dirty, cold, and starving while wearing shackles on their wrists and ankles. They had all been locked away either because of ridiculous misdemeanors or because they had been accused of a crime that was unproven.

"Alright hurry up." He told the prisoners as he freed them. "Soon the other soldiers will find out that there's a jailbreak going on."

"God bless you sir." One male prisoner said.

"Yeah, yeah, now hurry! Hurry!"

The prisoners hurried out of the jail and toward a carriage being driven by Erza. Unfortunately someone sounded the alarm and alerted the soldiers and the judge. Natsu quickly went to keep the soldiers at bay so the prisoners could escape.

"How dare you free these criminals!" Zeref told him angrily.

"They're not criminals! They're innocent men and women who you have in prisoned on false charges!" Natsu said. "You call yourself a man of justice yet you mistreat the people you claim to be protecting! No doubt the queen would be furious if she knew of your actions!"

"What her majesty fails to understand is that this country is filled with treacherous criminals who must be delt with!"

"But you're not dealing with criminals! The minute someone is accused you throw them in jail without evidence or giving them a fair trial! The real criminal here is you!"

"Just who in the hell do you think you are?!"

"A man who speaks on behalf of the people!"

He then cut the chain of the chandelier causing it to fall on top of Zeref and his men giving Natsu a chance to escape.

...

Now we shall go back to Gray. As he grew up he became a very strong and resourceful young man who found himself longing more and more for freedom. Every year on his birthday he asked Invel to allow him to leave the church but Invel always said no and sensing that the boy might defy him he requested permission from Judge Zeref Dragneel to have his men guard all possible exits whenever Invel left the church. It would seem that he would never be able to enter the outside world. Then one day when he was sixteen the opportunity for freedom finally came. A rat had somehow gotten into the bell tower and he learned that it managed to get in by slipping through a cracked hole that had been made by a weak part of the floor.

He spent the next four years making the hole bigger and constructing his own secret passageway that would allow him to sneak in and out of the church. First he began reading books on secret tunnels, sculpting, and architecture so he would have knowledge on how to pull this off. After that he asked Invel for a rock hammer claiming that he wanted to use it only to make small statues but he actually used it to dig through the hard stone floor and tunnel his way through the wall until he found a steep area that led to the outside world.

Now came the tricky part. Picking which day would be a good day to go out. He knew it had to be when Invel wasn't at the church and he also had to make sure that he knew when Invel was leaving and when he would be coming back. He couldn't risk getting caught because if he was caught then that was it. Invel would probably seal him away in some small room for the rest of his life.

"Gray you haven't been planning to sneak out have you?" Invel asked him suspiciously one morning.

"Uh...No...What...What would give you that idea?" Gray asked before briefly glancing at his secret entrance that he had hidden behind a curtain.

"Well I've noticed that over the years you've stopped asking me if you can go outside."

"Oh...Well that's only because you always say no."

"And do you know why I say no?"

"Yes it's to keep me safe but I'm twenty years old now. I'm not a little kid anymore and I've gotten really strong. I can handle the outside world."

"Gray the outside world would never accept you."

"But what if you're wrong?"

"Gray let me ask you something. When your heartless mother abandoned you as a child and I found you did I leave you to die?"

"No."

"Or turn you over to the orphanage or the workhouse?"

"No."

"And who took you in when no one else would?"

"You did."

"I did right and for the past twenty years I've fed you-"

"You've fed me, you've clothed me, you've put a roof over my head, and you raised me as if I was your own son. I know, I know, you've been telling me this since before I could crawl."

"Exactly so let me ask you this. Considering that I did all those things for you, why would you ever think that I would steer you wrong?"

"I wasn't thinking that."

"Gray I don't blame you for longing to be apart of this world but you're deformed, frightening, and demonic. All who look upon you will only fear and hate you, all except me."

"You said that someday I would be able to go out. How much longer till that day comes?"

"Patience, you must have patience."

"But I have been patient. I've been patient for twenty years."

"Believe me Gray I've been working on a way to remove the demon in you ever since you were a baby. Purging evil takes time especially when evil keeps coming back. Like these filthy gypsies. Why her majesty allows them to live in our city is beyond me in other places they would be exterminated like rats. Now then my boy I shall go visit Judge Dragneel to discuss some business, I shall return at sundown. Stay out of trouble."

"I will."

Invel then left. Gray rolled up his sleeve and looked at the bracelet on his wrist. The same bracelet that had been given to him when he was a boy by a girl. For as long as he could remember Invel had told him that the people of the outside world would only be afraid of him and that they would react cruelly toward him. Yet that little girl he had met on his tenth birthday had not been scared of him in the least. She had been shocked by his appearance and pitied him by she didn't act afraid or cruel. In fact she had given him a gift. So he wondered if a child wasn't afraid of him then maybe just maybe there was someone out there who would accept him.

Besides if he didn't leave this place soon he was sure that he was going to go crazy. He already thought that he was hearing voices so he decided that today would be the perfect day to choose to leave. After slipping on a cloak and pulling the hood to cover his face he slipped down his secret passage way. It was so strange to be going outside for the first time. He knew that he had been outside before but that was when he was a baby so he couldn't remember what it was like.

The first thing he saw when he stepped out was the sun, followed by a carriage driving by. After that he began to wander around and look at the local stands and shops that were being set up at the market. Then a crowd began to circle in the town square. Curious, he went to see what all the excitement was about.


	7. Chapter 7

Gray saw that what everyone was gathering around to see was a group of gypsies performing. Some were juggling, some were playing music, and some were telling fortunes. Their leader Jellal was playing music with his comrades Wally and Sho while his other comrade Meredy was teaching their cat Carla how to do tricks such as spelling out words in blocks with letters carved on to them.

"Now Carla tell everyone what your name is." Meredy told the white cat after dumping the blocks on to the ground. The cat responded by moving the blocks together to spell the name CARLA.

The crowd clapped and cheered for them.

"Thank you, thank you. You are all much too kind." Jellal said. "And now as a special treat allow me to present to you all the most beautiful girl in Fiore, Juvia."

Music started and a girl started dancing. She was a petite thing, not tall but had a curvaceous figure. Nineteen years old, a pale beauty with sapphire blue eyes and wavy hair to match. She moved as delicately as a feather in the wind, giving her tambourine a few taps and shakes as she danced to the rhythm of the music.

The crowd watched her in amazement. Two men in particular were especially captivated by her. Gray and Invel.

Invel was there because he had been planning to chase the gypsies away and lecture the crowd for finding amusement in this display. But when his eyes saw the dancing gypsy girl he found himself once again overcome by a strange and foreign feeling. A feeling that he had only felt once and had hoped to have never felt again.

Whether this young girl was a human being, or a fairy, or an angel was more than Gray could decide for a moment. He had never seen a woman before, at least not this close up. Invel had told him all his life that women would only lead him into sin. Especially young, beautiful women and he believed it until now. He didn't know why but just looking at her, he felt like that there wasn't an evil bone in her whole body.

He then took notice of Invel. Crap! If he saw him here then he would be in a world of trouble. Thinking fast he decided to hide in a nearby tent until Invel left. He only hoped that nobody would come in until he was gone. But in his haste to hidden he accidentally ran smack into a post and was knocked unconscious.

When Juvia finished her dance the crowd cheered, clapped, and tossed coins into her tambourine as she held it out to them.

"Thank you all for being so giving." She told them. "And God bless you for your generosity."

"Alright folks the show is over." Wally said. "But don't worry we will be back for another performance tomorrow afternoon."

After the crowd left, the gypsies sat down to lunch. Juvia had just got back from buying food at the market when she heard Jellal and the others bragging about how successful their pick pocketing was today.

"I swear that fat man had no idea my hands were digging in his pockets and stealing those coins the whole time." Wally boasted.

"I managed to steal a lady's ring right off her finger." Sho said.

"Well done my fellow gypsies." Jellal said. "You do me proud."

"Is that right?" Juvia then whacked Jellal on the head with her tambourine.

"Ouch! Hey! Oh...Juvia...How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough!"

"Uh-oh. Busted." Wally said.

"I think that's our signal to leave." Sho said.

"Right."

Once they were gone, Jellal was at the mercy of Juvia.

"Jellal you told me that you weren't going to steal this time! You lied to me!"

"We needed the money Juvia."

"But I had made us plenty of money with my dancing this time. Oh Jellal why must you and the others always steal?"

"We're gypsies Juvia. We steal to live. It's who we are."

"But it's wrong. Need I remind you that you went to jail for two years for stealing a loaf of bread and you would've stayed there for ten years if you hadn't of broken out. Do you wanna go back?"

"I'm not proud that I steal Juvia. I've tried honest work believe me I have but no one wants to hire a gypsy because they believe that we're liars and thieves so if that's the way society sees us so be it."

"Do you really think that confirming their beliefs will make things easier? If I can make money with my dancing then I'm sure you all can make money with your talents."

"Juvia you're a very sweet but very naive girl. We live in era where gypsies like us are hated and mistreated, and why? Because we're different."

"Everybody is different Jellal."

"I know that and you know that but a lot people don't apparently."

Juvia sighed. She really wished that her fellow gypsies wouldn't resort to theft to make a living. She never had to steal to get by. She always made plenty of money by dancing in the street. Why couldn't the others do the same? After finishing up her lunch she went to her tent to put the rest of her money away. She had just finished putting them in her coin pouch when she heard a voice groan.

"Oh my head! What happened?"

Juvia jumped back when she heard his voice. There was a man in her tent. When he stood up she let out a scream.

"Who are you?!" She demanded holding up a thick, hard cover book to attack him with. "And what are you doing in my tent?!"

It wasn't until he heard her finish that last sentence that Gray remembered everything that had happened. He quickly pulled his hood over his face and turned forward.

"I'm sorry." He told her. "It's not what you think! I swear! I ran into a post and I got knocked out! I just woke up! I'll go now!"

But keeping his face covered made it hard for him to see where he was going and he ended up tripping, falling on top of her, and knocking them both out of the tent.

"Oh God I'm so sorry! It was an accident! I didn't mean to!"

"It's okay. I saw you trip. Are you hurt?" She asked him.

"No. Are you?"

"No."

"That's good. Again I'm really sorry I just-"

"Oh my goodness!" She gasped.

"What?" He asked her.

"Your face. What happened to your face?"

It was then Gray realized that at this angle, Juvia could see his marred face perfectly. He expected her to scream or tell him how horrible he looked but she only looked at him in shock. Then she reached up her hand, as if she was going to touch his face. Her fingers were just centimeters from his blackened cheek when he flinched away from her hand.

"Juvia I heard you scream. What happened?" Jellal went to her aid and when he saw a hooded man on top of Juvia who was trembling, he jumped to the wrong conclusion and was furious.

"You bastard!" He shouted jerking Gray off of her. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

Gray responded by shoving Jellal off, surprising him with his great strength, then ran away. But he didn't get far because he found himself being restrained by soldiers. He fought some of them off but there were so many that in the end he was overpowered and found himself at the feet of Captain Loke Leonhart.

"Assaulting a woman is an especially heinous crime." He told him. "You shall be punished severely for this."

"But I didn't do anything!" Gray spoke. "It's all just a big misunderstanding."

"We'll let the judge decided that."

Loke then removed his cloak, exposing his scarred appearance to everyone in the area and they all gasped in shock and horror.

"My God!" One man gasped.

"What is it?" A woman asked.

"Is it a demon?" Another man asked.

"No it's that monstrosity that belongs to the archdecon!"

"I thought that he was just a myth!"

"Look at those markings on his body!"

"It's a sign of the devil!"

"Quiet!" Loke said. "We've captured this man so be on your way now!"

Gray was then placed in shackles and brought to the court. Once that was done Loke went to check on Juvia.

"Are you alright Miss?" He asked her.

"I'm fine."

"Worry not my dear my men have captured that savage and will see to it that he is punished for his crime."

"But he didn't commit a crime!" She told him.

"Juvia he assaulted you." Jellal said.

"It was an accident. He tripped and fell on me. Nothing happened! Captain you must pardon that man! He did nothing wrong!"

"Are you certain?" Loke asked.

"Absolutely."

"Very well then. I shall report to the courthouse and explain to the judge that this was all just a misunderstanding."

"Thank you sir."

Loke then left on his horse.

"Juvia are sure that it was an accident?" Jellal asked her. "You're not just saying that are you?"

"No. That man did not hurt me. But I think something or someone must have hurt him real bad."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well his face had all these black scars on it. It was like he had been burned by hot ash. Poor man."

"Maybe he was in a fire or something."

"Maybe." Juvia thought curiously.


	8. Chapter 8

Gray was brought before Judge Zeref who was most displeased when he was told that he had assaulted a woman that is until Captain Loke informed him of what Juvia had said. Still he felt that maybe he needed to make an example for the people so he went to speak with Invel.

"So Gray left the church did he?" Invel said when Zeref informed him.

"Yes and he was accused of assaulting a woman but the captain says that it was a misunderstanding so he won't go to prison still he caused a disturbiance and I believe that an example should be made but I wanted to consult you first."

"Well what example did you have in mind?"

"I believe that an appropriate punishment would be to have him tied to a stockade and be given twenty lashes. But it's up to you since you are his guardian."

"Hmmm...I believe that the boy needs to learn a lesson."

"Very well. If you say so."

The judge then left the church. On his way back to the court who couldn't help but think about that man who had freed his prisoners the other day. Just who was he? Zeref couldn't identify his face because it had been awfully dark that evening but he could tell by the man's voice that he was young and no doubt rebellious. How dare he call him a criminal. Why if it weren't for him the streets would be filled with crime. He had taken an oath long ago, to see to it that all crime in Fiore be eliminated no matter the cost and he intended to follow through with that oath til the end. But this mystery man was going to be an obstacle, an obstacle that he would remove.

Little did he know that said man, Natsu was in town today keeping an eye out for any innocent people who were being arrested.

"See anyone Happy?" He asked his feline companion.

But the little cat only responded with a meow. The two walked from street to street, watching out for the people who would need him. He had decided that he was going to defend the people of Fiore. But not as a soldier. During the day he would defend them as a lawyer once he finished law school and at night he would defend them as the mysterious cloaked figure who sneaked into Fiore's prison and set the wrongly convicted free.

Ezra also played a part in this. Whenever she had a client who was a soldier she would make sure to get every juicy detail out of him about what Zeref was up to. At night during Natsu's jail breaks, she would dress as a soldier and stall the others long enough for Natsu and the prisoners escape. And if she couldn't stall them long enough then she would subject them to a beat down. Ezra didn't just have a beautiful body, she also had a very clever brain, and surprisingly muscular strength so she was a rather useful ally.

Natsu soon came to the part of town where gypsies, beggars, and those who lived in poverty were around. He hated to see so many people cold, dirty, and starving. He didn't have any money with him but if he did he would have gladly given all of it to these people.

"There you go. I hope that's enough." He heard a sweet voice say.

Turning in the direction of the voice he saw a pretty blonde talking with a homeless family the consisted of four children. Judging by her dress he could tell that she was a woman of wealth with a dowry of gold and pearls but the gold was on her head and the pearls were in her mouth. She was like a ray of sunshine in a sky of stormy clouds. And when he saw her giving gold coins to the family he realized that she wasn't just lovely, she was compassionate too.

"You are so good to us Miss Heartfilia." The father in the family said. "I wish I could repay you."

"Nonsense I don't need any repayment." She told him.

Natsu found himself unable to take his eyes off of her. He watched her as she gave the last of her money to the family and started to walk away.

"Well hello there little kitty, where did you come from?"

It wasn't until now that Natsu finally realized that Happy had walked over to her. She picked him up and he immediately started nuzzling her.

"My you certainly are affectionate." She said.

"Happy get back here!" Nasty demanded in a whisper but the cat refused so Natsu had to shyly walk over there. He gulped a little because despite being raised in a brothel he had never developed any attraction to a woman. Until now of course.

"Oh hello." She greeted when he came over. "Is this your cat?"

" Yes he is. "

"He sure is cute. Does he have a name?"

"It's Happy. "

"You named your cat Happy?"

" Well fluffy was already taken. "

She giggled.

"You're not from around here are you?" He asked her.

" What makes you say that? "

"Oh I don't know. Gold earrings, silken dress, white gloves, you don't see many beggars wearing that stuff."

" I guess they are a dead give away. "

"So what brings you to my neck of the woods?"

"I just wanted to do some charity work. I have more money than I know what to do with so I decided to give a lot of it to those who don't have very much. "

"You actually do that?"

"Yes. Is there something wrong with that?"

"No. I'm just surprised that there are actually rich people out there who give a damn about the lower class. "

"Good sir didn't your mother ever tell you how rude it is to curse in the presence of a lady? "

"No because I never had a mother."

She went silent for a moment.

"You never had a mother? " She asked him.

"No."

"What about a father? "

"Never had one of one those either. "

"Oh no...Then you were an orphan?"

"Yeah."

"That's so awful."

"Well it's no big deal. I mean I'm not the only orphan in Fiore."

"Still I can't imagine what it would be like to grow up without a family."

"Actually I had a family. I had the other kids at the orphanage and I also had Erza and her friends."

"Who's Erza?"

"She took me in when I was twelve years old. She can be pretty bossy and mean but she saved my life, taught me how to survive on the streets, treated me like family, and she made sure that I always had a good education. When I turned sixteen she immediately started saving money to send me to law school."

"What does she do for a living?"

"Uh...I'd rather not say until you get to know me better."

"She's not a criminal is she?"

"No but... Let's just say her career is considered questionable by some people."

"I see. Anyway you said that you were in law school?"

"Yes. I hope to become a lawyer so I can defend the falsely accused. A lot of people in Fiore are being arrested for crimes they didn't commit."

"Well how do you know that they're innocent?"

"Because there's no evidence that proves they did anything. The Fiore prison is filled with at least fifty innocent people."

"If that's true then why don't any of them hire a lawyer?"

"Because they're all peasants who are too poor to afford a lawyer. Once I get my degree I'm going to defend them with whatever they can pay me with or even if they can't pay me at all."

"Then how will you make a living?"

"For me this job is not about the money. It's about getting justice for the people. Real justice. That judge wouldn't know justice if it bit him in the ass."

"You musn't talk like that. If a soldier heard you, you might end up rotting away in prison."

"Let em hear me! It's the God's honest truth."

"You certainly are a passionate one Mr.?"

"Natsu. Just Natsu. I don't have a last name."

"Okay Natsu. I'm Lucy Heartfilia."

"Heartfilia? Any relation to Jude Heartfilia, the wealthy merchant?"

"He's my father."

"I didn't know he had kids."

"He just has me though sometimes I wished that I had brothers and sisters. It would have made my childhood not so lonely."

"What do you mean?"

"I'd rather not talk about it."

As the two continued to stroll through town they noticed that people were hurrying off somewhere.

"Hey watch it!" Natsu said as several people rushing off bump into him. He grabbed one man running by and asked him. "Hey what's going on?"

"Didn't you hear?" The man told him. "The demon of the church was caught trying to assault a woman."

"Demon of the what?"

"The church. Haven't you ever heard of him?"

"Last I checked demons didn't exactly hang around churches."

"Well according to the archdecon twenty years ago a soldier of the church was seduced by a witch and he impregnated her, God then punished him by having his child be born a demon. A demon in a human body."

"Sir are you drunk?"

"Wait a minute I've heard this before." Lucy said. "And I'm pretty sure it's just a vicious rumor."

"Well rumor or not the judge is going to have him whipped on public display." The man said.

"And people actually wanna watch that?" Natsu said. "That's sick!"

"To each his own. Now get out of my way."

He then ran off to follow the crowd.

"Some people are just depraved." Lucy said.

"Hmmm... I have feeling that I should see this." Natsu said. "And figure out if this 'demon' is really just some innocent man forced to suffer some injustice."


	9. Chapter 9

Natsu and Lucy followed the crowd to the town square where poor Gray was being tied down to a stockade and a man with a whip was standing behind him.

"I already told you people I didn't attack that woman!" Gray shouted. "It was an accident! I tripped! I didn't hurt her! I swear!"

"Quiet you beast!" The man with the whip told him.

Judge Zeref then spoke.

"This man is guilty of assualting a woman however according to his guardian he has a deformed mind and therefore cannot understand his sins so he will not rot in prison for the rest of his life nevertheless he must be punished. Twenty lashes and a flogging."

With those words said the crowd began throwing garbage and rocks at Gray's face while shouting insults.

"Monster!"

"Demon!"

"Rapist!"

"This will teach you not to attack our women!"

Gray tried in vain to break loose but the ropes were too strong. Then the man standing behind him tore the shirt off of his back and began beating him with his whip. He hissed and held in his screams of pain for as long as he could. His eyes began scanning the crowd. Some of the people were looking at him with fear, disgust, and rage, others were laughing at him and finding amusement in this. He then spotted Invel somewhere a mist in the crowd.

"Invel please help me!" He begged pitfully. "Invel please!"

But the archdecon just gave him a look of disappointment and turned away. As if it was Gray who had betrayed him. No mercy, no pity, no remorse. Nothing.

However not everyone in the crowd took pleasure in this wretched display. Natsu and Lucy were two of the few people who were horrified and disgusted with the way this man was being treated.

"This is sick and twisted!" Lucy cried.

"And he's not even a monster! He's just a man!" Natsu said.

"I can't take this! Won't somebody stop this?" Then Lucy spotted Loke riding by on his horse and ran over to him. "Oh Loke thank goodness!"

"Lucy what's wrong?" He asked her.

"Please Loke! Make them stop this! It's not right!"

"Stop what?"

Lucy pointed over to where Gray was getting whipped. When Loke saw who it was he quickly went to Judge Zeref.

"Sir I request permission to stop this cruelty at once." He told him.

"In a moment captain." Zeref said.

"But sir I told you that this man had done nothing wrong. The woman who he had supposedly attacked said that it was just a misunderstanding."

"How do you know that she wasn't lying?"

"What? Why would she lie?"

"Well she was a gypsy and besides an example needs to be made."

"But sir you're punishing an innocent man."

"Don't argue!"

Loke was strongly against this but a good soldier always follows orders so he held his tongue.

"This is just plain evil! I'm going to stop this!" Natsu said.

"Don't! You'll only make things worse!" Loke said.

"How can you just sit back and let this happen?! What kind of soldier are you?"

"Watch your tongue peasant! I'm the captain of Fiore's soldiers!"

"That doesn't mean jack squat to me if you won't help someone when they need it! If you don't want to help that guy fine! But I'll be damned before you stop me from helping somebody!"

"If you interfere you could be in prisoned for life or executed!"

"Ask me if I care?!"

"Look it's not like I want this to happen but I have orders!"

"Don't you have a will of your own?! If you know this is wrong why don't you do something for God's sake?!"

Natsu tried to help him but the other soldiers held him back. Poor Lucy just closed her eyes and looked away as did Captain Loke. It was absolutely dreadful and it seemed like no one would or could help Gray.

But just then Juvia and Jellal walked by when they caught sight of the crowd. Jellal quickly began to pick pocket some of the men and women there. Juvia rolled her eyes and was just about to scold him for it when she saw Gray. She tapped one man on the shoulder and asked him.

"Why are they torturing that poor man?"

"Because he attacked a woman."

"What? No! No that's not true! Stop! Stop it!" She cried to the peasants.

"Juvia what are you doing?" Jellal said grabbing her arm when she started toward the stockade.

"Let go of me!" She said jerking her arm away. "Can't you see they're torturing him?!"

"It's a horrible display but we can't get involved Juvia. We're already in enough trouble with the law as it is."

"I don't care! I can't bear this any longer!" She made her way through the crowd, stepped on top of the stockade, and screamed as loud as she could. "STOP!"

The man whipping Gray stopped while the peasants ceased fire.

"Get down from there at once!" Zeref ordered her.

"Yes your honor but first please let me free this man." She said.

"That man has broken a law of Fiore and must be punished!"

"But he's done nothing wrong! I am the woman this man was accused of attacking! But he didn't do anything! He only tripped and fell on top of me! That's all! You're tormenting an innocent man!"

She then slowly approached Gray. He was sweating and panting, with blood streaming down his back from where the whip had cut his skin. Juvia kneeled down next to him and pulled a flask of water from her satchel. She removed the lid and put it to his mouth. He started drank every last drop. After that she pulled out a knife and a scarf from her dress, cut him loose, and began to use her scarf to stop the bleeding on his back.

"I am so sorry." She said with regret in her voice. "I swear I told them you were innocent. This wasn't supposed to happen to you."

Gray couldn't speak. Due to both the pain he felt in his back and the amazement he felt for the woman next to him. She gave him water, she cut him loose, and she was trying to heal his wounds. Why would she do that? Why didn't she just laugh at him or throw garbage and rocks at him like the others? Didn't she think that he was a demon?

The crowd was also silent but eventually one person shouted.

"Hey you're ruining our fun!"

"Gypsy whore!" Another person shouted.

"They were going to let him go an hour why did you have to spoil it?!"

"Gypsies ruin everything!"

"They're bad luck you know!"

"They'll steal you blind!"

"Liars, tramps, and thieves! All of them!"

Soon everyone was spouting insults at her. Fearing that she might end up facing the same treatment as Gray, Jellal ran up on to the stockade and took Juvia by the hand.

"I warned you didn't I?" He said before throwing something down which caused a flash and a puff of smoke. When it cleared they were both gone.

"Witchcraft!" Invel gasped.

Gray stood up and walked down from the stockade.

"Get him!" The crowd started to attack him again only for Invel to step forward and say.

"Stop! We must show kindness to this... Creature. Captain clear the square if you please."

"Yes my lord." Loke said turning to the crowd. "He said go! All of you!"

While Loke was shooing the crowd away Invel approached his ward with a look of distaste and anger.

"I told you this would happen. I told you not to leave the church and yet you disobeyed me."

"I'm...I'm sorry." Gray said. "I thought that-"

"Well you thought wrong! I hope you now know how horrible the world is and how grateful you should be to me. Because I'm the only one who won't ever treat you like those people did."

"But why didn't you help me when I asked you to?"

"You had disobeyed me, you betrayed me, and you needed to be punished for it. I hope you've learned your lesson Gray."

Gray only nodded and started to walk back to the church. Invel was right. He was right about everything all along. The people were afraid of him and replused by him. They treated him like he was some poor, worthless animal instead of a human being. So much for hoping to fit in.

Suddenly he collapsed on to the ground and passed out from his injuries. Unfortunately the archdecon just left to converse with Judge Zeref instead of helping him. However Natsu was never one to ignore someone who needed help.

"Hang on man. I'm here for ya." Natsu placed Gray's arm around his shoulder and helped him into the church. He couldn't believe how cruel and vile people could be. How anyone could just stand there and find amusement in the suffering of others. Was there no goodness in this world? We're all innocent people doomed to suffer? It was unfair. But that was the hard truth about life. Life is never fair for anyone, innocent or guilty.


	10. Chapter 10

What had happened to Gray was the talk of the entire town that evening. Everyone had heard stories about the deformed man who lived in the church but they had never seen him before today. Some of the people expected him to be much more horrible looking, others thought that he was just as frightening as the rumors said. Some thought that he was in fact a demon while others saw him as a man with an awful condition.

"I must say that creature was not at all what I thought it would be." Meredy said to her fellow gypsies.

"I know." Sho said. "I expected him to have fangs and claws and hair all over his body. You know something beast like."

"Well the name demon definitely suits him." Wally said. "Did you see those marks on him? What a monster. You know I hear that sometimes at night he comes out and hunts for children to eat."

"Is that a valid fact?" Sho asked.

"It's what I heard."

"Do you think that he's even human?" Meredy asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't." Wally said.

"How dare you say such things." Juvia interrupted. "Don't you have any compassion?"

"Oh we were just talking Juvia. No harm done." Wally said.

"I don't approve of you talking about him like he's some kind of monster. The only monsters I saw today were those people who were torturing him."

"She's right." Jellal agreed. "As gypsies we know all too well how it feels to be persecuted by others just because we're different. What they did to that man was horrible."

"It's all my fault." Juvia said. "They did that to him because they thought he attacked me."

"Juvia you are not to blame for what happened to him. You told that soldier that he was innocent but clearly he didn't inform anyone of that."

"Still I can't help but blame myself and...And why did they have to do that to him."

"Try to understand Juvia, it's in the nature of human beings to react negatively to things that they don't understand. And you must admit you do find his appearance startling."

"I won't lie, when I first saw him I was a little frightened but there's a big difference between being startled by a person's appearance and just being cruel to them."

"I agree with you but I don't think he's as innocent as you think he is."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"No man should have to suffer what he's went through today but remember he serves that lunatic Invel."

"So?"

"So I don't trust him. No gypsy should trust anyone loyal to Invel or that church. That fanatic has been trying get rid of gypsies for years, spreading vicious rumors that we're devil worshippers and that we practice witchcraft."

Juvia sighed then a few hours later she started walking.

"Where are you going?" Jellal asked.

"I'm going to the church to pray."

"You know I don't like you in that church."

"I won't be long. I swear."

...

When Gray came to the first thing he saw was Natsu's face up close.

"Oh good you're awake."

Unfortunately Gray's first response was to punch him right in the face.

"Ow! Oh God why would you do that?!" He groaned clutching his nose.

Gray then grabbed him by his shirt collar and pinned him against the solid concrete wall. Natsu's feet were just inches off the floor.

"Who are you?! What are you doing here?!" Gray demanded angrily.

"Okay now just calm down. Whoa! Man are you strong! What are you half bear?"

"I asked you a question! Why are you here?!"

"I...I saw you getting whipped back there and-"

"And you came to finish the job?! To see the freak?!"

"No! No! You had passed out on the ground! So I brought you inside!"

"You... Helped me?"

"Yes. Now that we've established that can you put me down?"

Gray dropped him.

"Thank you." Natsu stood up and then punched Gray in the face. "That was for earlier."

But that was a bad move because Gray punched him back and the two started fighting. They might have beaten each other to a pulp if Erza hadn't of bashed them both on the head with a frying pan.

"Ow!" They both shouted.

"Natsu you should know better than to provoke a man who's that strong and you sir are in no condition to start a physical fight." She scolded.

"Who the hell are you?" Gray asked her while rubbing the back of his head.

"Watch it you're in a church so don't curse." She said. "My name is Erza and this meat head is Natsu. He brought me here to help you. Now lie down and take your shirt off."

Gray took notice of her provacative clothing which consisted of just a corset and skirt. He realized that she was a prostitute. Getting the wrong idea, he blushed real hard and said.

"Uh...Sorry but I'm not into that kind of stuff and...And...We're in a church so that would be wrong in so many ways. Also I'm flat broke."

"Not that kind of help you idiot!" She scoffed. "I'm going to dress your wounds. You've got some nasty cuts on your back and they're still bleeding out. So do as I say if you want to heal properly."

Gray swallowed hard then nervously took off his shirt and laid down on his stomach.

"Now just a warning to you, this is going to sting real bad so I hope you have a high pain tolerance." She said.

"If I can get through being whipped within an inch of my life I'm sure I can tolerate a little stinging."

Erza soaked a rag in a bucket of water and began to clean the bleeding cuts on his back. Just as she had warned, it stung really bad but Gray just bared his teeth and clinched his fists while trying to ignore the pain just as he had done earlier today. After she had cleaned his wounds she rubbed liniment on his back and wrapped a gauze around his back and waist.

"There? Feel better?" She asked.

"Did you have to make it so tight?" He complained.

"The tighter it is the better it will hold."

"So if I may ask. Why did you two help me?"

"Well duh because you were hurt." Natsu said. "What were we supposed to do? Leave you there to bleed out on the streets?"

"Why not? It's what everybody else would have done."

"Look pal we just helped you so the least you could do is say thank you." Natsu said.

Gray went silent and looked at them suspiciously. After what happened today he wasn't sure if he could ever trust anyone except Invel. Invel had told him that if he ever went outside the people would only hurt him and treat him cruelly and that's exactly what happened today. He went outside and everybody treated him like crap. They tied him down and whipped him like he was some mule and they laughed at his pain. It was awful, it was cruel, and it was inhumane.

However that gypsy girl who he had met didn't treat him like the others did. She had helped him and she had spoken so kindly to him. He never thought that anyone there would help him especially not a gypsy. Then there were these two. This man and this prostitute.

When Gray had seen Natsu that first time he was sure that he was one of those cold hearted spectators who had come back to mock him and hurt him further. Imagine his surprise when he found out that Natsu was only trying to help him.

As for Erza, Invel had warned him about prostitutes. Calling them filthy, money grubbing, whores who had no shame, modesty, or morality. But if she had no morality then why would she tend to his wounds like this?

"Thank you for helping me." He said finally and without another word he ran away.

"Rather ungrateful isn't he?" Natsu said.

"I'm not surprised especially since he's been abused." Erza said. "People like him who have been abused all their lives often have a difficult time responding to geniune love and affection mainly because they believe that it's not possible for anyone to truly care for them."

"I was abused and I don't believe that."

"That's because your abuse ended once I took you in and you were still a child when it ended but he's still getting abused. I can tell by the extreme suspicion and distrust in his eyes. My eyes were once the same way."

"You were abused? Erza you never told me that."

"That's because I don't like to talk about it."

"Erza what happened? You can tell me. You can tell me anything."

"I know Natsu but...There are some things in a person's past that's so horrible that even just thinking about it makes you hurt."

She shuddered a little. Natsu gently grasped her shoulder comfortingly.

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me. I understand. Why don't we just go home?"

She only smiled softly and the two went home. In all the years that he had known her, Natsu never knew that Erza had been abused. He wondered if any of the other girls who worked at the brothel knew that about her. He wished that Erza would tell him what she had been through but he didn't want to push her so he was going to be patient and wait til she was ready to tell him. If she would ever tell him.


	11. Chapter 11

Lucy was beside herself with shock. She couldn't believe the horror that she had just witnessed. Not only did she watch an innocent man suffer a most cruel punishment but she also saw that so many people found amusement in watching him suffer. How could anyone laugh at such a horrid display? It made her sick to her stomach.

"Oh Father I don't think that I had seen anything so horrible in my entire life." She told Jude.

"It's over now Lucy so don't dwell on it."

"But I can't. Do you think other people are suffering like this?"

"If it is it is none of our concern."

"Father I don't like just sitting back and watching innocent people suffer."

"Lucy it is not our place and besides it's not like those kind of people matter."

"Father how can you say such a thing?"

"Lucy this is not important. Now start getting ready, we're going to join Captain Leonhart for dinner tonight to discuss your engagement."

"Yes Father."

Jude then left Lucy's room. Once he was gone she started to get unchanged when she heard a tapping noise. She turned and saw Natsu standing on a window sill.

"Hello." He said with a smile and a wave.

"What on earth are you doing here?!" She asked opening the window.

"Well right now I'm trying not to lose my balance and fall into those thorny rose bushes down there so could you help me because I'm slipping! Ahhh!"

Natsu started wobbling and he was just about to lose his balance when Lucy grabbed him by his shirt collar and pulled him into her room.

"Are you completely mad?" She said. "If my father finds you here he'll see to it that you get the guillotine."

"Well I tried to come in through the front door but apparently your old man thought I was a beggar because he shouted 'Listen you filthy beggar I don't give hand outs' then slammed the door in my face."

"Sorry about him, he's not exactly charitable."

"Yeah I kind of figured that out myself."

"What are you doing here?"

He held up a coin purse.

"You dropped it when that crowd ran by us yesterday."

"Oh...Thank you." She said taking it from him.

"You're welcome. Wow this is some huge house you've got here. Sure is better than my place."

"Oh really? Where do you live?"

Natsu blushed.

"Well uh...I live in a interesting sort of building."

"Could you be a little more specific?"

"It's... It's a brothel but it's not what you think! I'm not a perv I swear! I've never laid with any of those women! And I don't intend to! And...And I'm making this worse aren't I?"

"Oooookay...Why do you live at a brothel if you don't...intend to lay with a woman. Do you prefer men?"

"No! No! I don't swing that way! Let me explain those women are kind of like my sisters."

"I don't follow."

"Well you remember how I told you that Erza's job was considered questionable to some people?"

"Yes."

"Erza is a prostitute who works there, we met after she saved me from abuse and she and the other prostitutes at the brothel gave me a home with them and looked after me."

"Really?"

"Yes and believe me every time I tried something funny Erza would bash me over the head."

"Let me get this straight you were raised in a brothel by prostitutes?"

"It was always warm and there was always food on the table. So don't be judgemental."

"I won't it just never occurred to me that prostitutes could be the motherly type."

"There are a lot of things that never occur to some people. But that aside, what made your father so angry?"

"Oh don't mind him, he's always in a foul mood. Right now he's awfully eager to see me married."

"Married? You got a sweetheart?"

"I'm engaged."

"Oh congratulations. Who's the lucky fella?"

"Captain Loke Leonhart."

Natsu snickered under his breath.

"Oh man do I feel sorry for you."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing except...I don't think you should expect him to be a loyal husband. I've seen him at that brothel many times."

"Well when did you see him there last?"

"Last winter."

"Well that was before our marriage was arranged."

"So? Doesn't mean he'll keep it in his pants."

"How dare you speak of him like that. You don't even know him."

"Oh please. Like you know so much about him. I bet you've only known the guy for about a week."

"Sir you are too presumptuous."

"Okay then how long have you known him?"

"A week...and a half."

"Oh that makes all the difference...Barely."

"Be quiet. You don't know anything about our relationship."

"You're right I don't but neither do you apparently."

"Please go." Lucy said rolling her eyes.

"Alright. See you around."

He then jumped from her window and went about his merry way.

Meanwhile Wally had gone to the brothel for a little action and Jellal fearing that he would expose them to the authorities, went to bring him back. As expected the building was filled with attractive and flirtatious prostitutes.

"Hiya handsome, come to join the party?" Cana asked as she started to undo her blouse.

"Oh no ma'am." Jellal said looking away while blushing. "I'm just here to pick up my friend. Is there a Wally here?"

"He's upstairs being entertained at the moment. I'm afraid you'll have to wait." She fixed her blouse and took a swallow of liquor.

"Very well. When he's finished inform him of my presence if you don't mind."

"Alright."

Jellal sat down and waited for his comrade to finish up with his "personal affairs". Once he got his hands on his Wally he was going to make him sorry. He had told Wally and the other gypsies time and time again that they were to avoid brothels, taverns, and any areas where wild get togethers could take place and draw attention from soldiers.

You see about thirteen years ago he had broken a window and stolen a loaf of bread but he was caught and sentenced to prison for ten years. Luckily he managed to escape after serving only two years but he was a fugitive meaning he had to extra careful almost everyday of his life because if he got caught again then he would be locked up for life.

After waiting for three hours, Jellal lost his patience and decided to just grab Wally and drag him out of here. He had just reached the top of the stairway when he saw her. The gorgeous young woman with long scarlet hair counting her money then slipping it into a small pouch. It had been thirteen years, but she hadn't changed at all, at least not to him. In his eyes she would always be that sweet and beautiful girl he had fallen for all those years ago.

Erza. It was Erza. Both of them were a child of the streets, they became friends when they were children and they became lovers when they were teenagers. At age sixteen they had planned to marry and start a life but money was scarce, they both got jobs but the pay wasn't enough. Erza eventually became ill with malnourishment leading to Jellal stealing that loaf of bread in desperation. When he was arrested and didn't return, Erza was forced to believe that her lover had abandoned her, heartbroken and starving that was when she turned to prostitution. Jellal never thought that he would see her again so you can imagine his shock and joy when he saw her.

"Erza?" He said in a shakey voice as he approached her from behind. "Erza?"

"Yes what do you want?" She asked not turning around.

"Erza it's me!"

"Me who?"

"Jellal."

The very instant that name left his mouth she dropped her pouch and turned around in shock. At first all he could see in her eyes were complete and utter shock but that shock quickly turned to extreme anger.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Well what are you doing here?" He asked.

"Isn't it obvious? I work here."

"You work here?"

"Yes, now if you'll excuse me I have to get to work."

"Wait a minute aren't you going to talk to me?"

"I have nothing to say to you."

"What do you mean you don't have anything to say to me? We haven't seen each other in thirteen years."

"And who's fault is that?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I have to go."

"Erza wait! Come back!"

She left, he went after her but she vanished into a crowd. He searched but he couldn't find her. She was gone.


	12. Chapter 12

When Juvia arrived at the cathedral the first thing she did was behold it's great beauty and splendor. She had been to the cathedral many times before but in her eyes, the whole building seemed to grow more beautiful with each visit she took. She loved going there because whenever she was in the church she felt safe and loved. Like nothing and no one on earth could ever hurt her and that she would always find a friend.

"So a gypsy dares to enter this holy place?"

Juvia was startled by the sudden appearance of Invel. This was the first time she had ever met him directly and all she knew about him was what Jellal had told her.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her.

"I came here to pray and to see if that poor man is alright."

"He is none of your concern. He's my charge. God loves even a monster."

"He's no less human than the rest of us."

"Of course the likes of you would see him as human."

"The likes of me?"

"Gypsies. Your kind associate yourselves with witchcraft and the devil."

"Your grace I will have you know that I am a Christian woman who has never taken part in any of that kind of practice and the gypsies aren't nearly as horrible as you say they are. I owe everything I am to the gypsies. When I lost my family the gypsies took me in and cared for me as if I were one of them."

"I see." Invel said becoming interested. "So you weren't born into that accursed race."

"No and even if I was it shouldn't mean anything."

"No this changes things. You are not a heathen like them, you are just a misguided soul."

"You're missing the point your grace. Weather I was born a gypsy or not doesn't matter in this conversation. What matters is that despite your beliefs, a group of gypsies were kind enough to care for me so they're not as evil as you say they are."

Invel looked at her with a gaze that seemed to make her shudder and feel uncomfortable. She took a small step back away from him. She really didn't like the way he was looking at her. She didn't like it at all.

"Midday mass is starting so I must go." He told her before leaving.

Once he was gone Juvia went to find a private place to pray. Some how she didn't feel comfortable praying in the presence of that man. She chose to pray near a stain glass window that had an image of the Virgin Mary in it.

"Oh heavenly Father, I pray that you forgive me for the horrible sin I committed. Because of me an innocent man suffered torturous pain at the hands of a merciless crowd. Dear God I pray that you watch over and bless that poor man. He can't help the way he is and those who treat him cruelly, please help them see the error of their ways."

Unknown to her Gray was just a few feet above her cleaning the bells and dusting and sweeping the areas of the cathedral where very few people went to. When he saw her he became curious and decided to spy on her but he was so distracted by her that he accidentally knocked something over which made a noise that caught her attention m

"Who's there?" She gasped when she heard him. Gray quickly ran upstairs. "No wait! Come back!"

She chased after him.

"Please! Don't run away!" She called.

"Leave me alone!" He called not slowing down.

"I'm not going to hurt you I just want to talk to you."

Gray hoped that he could out run her or that she would give up due to how high and long the stairway was but he underestimated her persistence. When he reached the top he quickly went to hide.

"Hello? Where are you?" She asked looking around. "Are you hiding from me? You don't have to do that. I promise that I won't hurt you I only want to apologise."

She walked around the room and searched for him but she couldn't find him anywhere. She sighed and started to walk back to the stairway.

"You want to apologise?" She stopped when she heard a voice say that.

"Yes I do."

"For what?"

"For causing you to go through all that torture and suffering."

"That wasn't your fault you know." He said. "It's not like you were the judge who sentenced me to be whipped."

"Still if I hadn't of cried out then they wouldn't have thought that you attacked me. I told that soldier you were innocent I don't understand why that happened." Her blue eyes scanned the area, trying to find the owner of the voice. "Could you come out?"

"No."

"Then I guess I'll just have to look for you."

Gray was certain that Juvia would never find him where he was hidden but she had a good ear and was able to follow his voice right over to the curtain he was hiding behind.

"There you are." She said pulling it back.

Gray started to run away again but he tripped and fell off the edge of the platform they were standing on. Juvia let out a small scream.

"Did I scare you?" He asked her.

"Oh no I just thought that you had hurt yourself."

"But I didn't scare you?"

"No."

She went to help him up but he flinched away from her and covered his face with his hands.

"Let me see your face, I think you have a bruise."

"Don't look at me! Go away!"

"Now stop that I'm only trying to see if you're okay."

She grabbed his wrists and tried to pull his hands away from his face. He struggled, so did she but she struggled more because he was a lot stronger than she was.

"I don't want you to see my face!"

"But I've already seen it. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Really?! There's nothing to be ashamed of this!"

He dropped his hands from his face, giving her a perfect view.

"There! Take a good long look!" He snapped at her. "So now do you wanna tell me that I've got nothing to be ashamed of?!"

Juvia wasn't sure how to respond. He looked so angry and upset. She could understand why he would be ashamed of his face and why others would be but he couldn't help how he was born. She looked down at his wrists which she held in her hands and took notice of one of them. It was the wrist that bore a bracelet of that had been woven together with thread and twine and decorated with beads.

"Where did you get this?" She asked him.

"Get what?" He asked her confused.

"This bracelet. Where did you get it? This used to be mine. I made it when I was nine years old."

Juvia looked back up at Gray's face and into his silver grey eyes. Very familiar silver grey eyes.

"The boy with the cute eyes." She whispered.

"What?" He said.

"When I was a little girl I gave this bracelet to a little boy. He had a scarred face but he had the cutest eyes that I had ever seen. Was that you?"

Gray looked at her and at once he recognized her as the little girl who had given him that exact bracelet on his tenth birthday.

"That was you?" He asked her.

"Yes." She nodded. "Oh I knew that I recognized you from somewhere but I just couldn't figure it out.  
I always wondered what had happened to you. My goodness you've gotten bigger."

"Well it's been ten years, what did you expect? Me to be only four feet tall for the rest of my life?"

"No silly." She giggled. "I've just noticed how much you changed."

"You've changed too. I mean you're not as tall as me but you've grown in height and you're more...Hairy?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Something hairy is touching me. Is that you?"

He looked down and saw that the hairy thing he felt was a white cat.

"Carla what are you doing here?" Juvia said rubbing the cat's ears.

"What's that?"

"This is Carla. She's a very smart cat and a friend of mine. She must have followed me here."

"I'm surprised she made it this far."

"As I said she's very smart." She stood up and began to look around. "So you live up here?"

"Yep."

"Wow. I always liked going to church but I never thought about living in one."

"Would you... Would you like a tour?"

"I'd love to."


	13. Chapter 13

"Judge Dragneel" Captain Loke called.

"What is it?" The judge replied.

"The Pope Makarov is here and he wishes to speak with you."

"My what a surprise. Send him in."

Now if there was anyone in the church of Fiore that was higher up than the Archdecon Invel it was the Pope Makarov Dreyar. An old but wise and kind man who served as both the religious advisor to the queen and the head of the church.

"Makarov it is an honor to see you. How may I be of service?" Zeref asked.

"What's this I hear about you torturing an innocent man?"

"What ever do you mean?"

"I've been hearing that you sentenced a man to be beaten and tortured for a crime he didn't commit which you knew of. Is that true?"

"It's not how it sounds your eminence. This man would have hurt someone given the chance."

"But did he?"

"No. He did not."

"Judge Dragneel why on earth would you do such a thing?"

"I did no real harm, I was only trying to make an example."

"But punishing an innocent man? That's what you call making an example?"

"The people of this city need to respect the law."

"I agree but I don't believe law abiding citizens should suffer."

"You forget Makarov that I am the law."

"And you forget that I am advisor to her majesty and she expects me to inform her of what is moral in her kingdom and from what I hear you haven't exactly been a just law."

"You'd be wise not to threaten me old man."

"What happened to you Zeref? You used to be such a good and honorable man."

"I still am."

"No you're not. You've changed."

"If by changed you mean I've cracked down harder on the law then you are correct. I have changed, for the better."

"I beg to differ."

"You don't understand Makarov. This city needed to be protected, I need to make sure that these criminals rot in prison where they belong instead of roaming free on the streets."

"I can understand your desire to keep the city safe perfectly well Zeref I just hope you know the difference between justice and abuse."

"Are you accusing me of abusing my power?"

"If what I hear about you is true then yes."

"That's a serious allegation."

"Well I wouldn't make it if I didn't know for sure that it was true."

"You have no proof that I've done anything wrong."

"Maybe not now and maybe I'm wrong about you. Honestly I hope I'm wrong about you but if it turns out you have been abusing your power and if I find so much as scrap of evidence that you have, I'll report you to the queen."

"Don't try to make me an enemy Makarov."

"I'm not trying. I don't want to be enemies. I'd rather that we be friends but my loyalty to God comes before everything else in my life."

"God? What has God ever done to deserve your loyalty?"

"Hold your tongue! I won't allow you to disrespect the Lord like that. God has done plenty for me and plenty for you."

"For me? He's done nothing for me! If he cares so much for me then why didn't he help my family? Why didn't he help my wife? She prayed that God would save her and what happened?!"

"Zeref your anger is understandable but what happened to your family and Mavis wasn't God's fault. And it wasn't your fault either."

"I think you should leave now."

"Very well."

Makarov left after that. He was very worried about Zeref's behavior but he could understand it. You see Zeref was not always like this. It all started back in his youth, he lived happily with his mother, father, and little brother until one sad day when he was twelve years old two bandits who had been released from prison due to lack of evidence broke into their house. The poor boy was forced to watch as they slaughtered his parents and burned down his entire home. Those men had destroyed his family because the law had failed to protect them so on that day Zeref swore that he would become apart the justice system and see to it that something like this would never happen again.

Years later when he first became a judge he did very well in keeping the city safe and ensuring that all criminals were locked away. In time he found happiness again when he met his wife Mavis and she became pregnant with his child. Zeref was overjoyed, he never thought that he would get a second chance at having a family. He was a devoted husband and he would have been a loving father, unfortunately fate robbed him of that chance. A strange man had been stalking Mavis, when the authorities caught him Zeref wanted to send him to prison but since it was his wife the man was stalking it was decided that another judge would handle the case. In the end the judge ruled him innocent and about one week later Zeref came home one night to find that the same man had strangled Mavis to death.

The loss of his mother, father, and younger brother had traumatized him but it was the death of his wife and unborn child that drove him to insanity. His entire family had been shattered because the law didn't do it's job. It failed to protect the people he loved. It wasn't fair. So Zeref changed for the worst, punishing and locking away anyone he saw as guilty regardless of weather they really were or not. Makarov was a good friend of Zeref's wife and he knew how horrifying her death had been to the judge and he also suspected that it would be his breaking point.

When he wasn't traveling through the city arresting people or serving in trials or managing the jail he was alone in his room gazing at his beloved brooch that contained two pictures. One picture was of himself as a boy standing with his parents and his brother. The other was of him as a young man embracing his wife.

"I failed you." He said using his fingers to stroke Mavis's face in the picture. "I failed you all. I wish there were another way for me to say it. But I can't. I can only beg your forgiveness, and pray that you hear me."

He closed his brooch then placed it back on his night stand before going out his horse. However Zeref's family wasn't completely gone. True his parents were killed on that horrible night that took place twenty years ago but his little brother did not die. Zeref didn't see those men kill his brother but he had assumed that the little toddler had died in the fire that burned down their house. What actually happened to him was that during the attack, the frightened three year old boy had run away to the safest place he could think of. The church. There he was found and placed in an orphanage but that's all you will hear about him for now.


	14. Chapter 14

Invel had gone to the Fiore prison under the claim that he was going to offer condolences to those who are in prison but he was really going to visit a certain prisoner. It was Silver Fullbuster, the innocent man who Invel had framed for the murder of his wife Mika. He was a dangerous prisoner, he fought to get out of prison every chance he got. Acting out in violence and attacking anyone who came near him. They had to keep him in chains and shackles. When he saw the corrupted archdecon anger and hatred filled his eyes.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He asked angrily.

"I've come to see if you have repented."

"For what?"

"For attempting to kill a man of the church."

"No. Never."

"You're a good man, Silver. It hurts me that you have been reduced to this."

"Shut up! You don't give a damn about me or why I'm here! If you did you wouldn't have killed my wife and framed me for it!"

"If you just repent I will convince them that you killed that witch to break the spell she had cast upon you."

"My wife was not a witch!"

"She was! She had to be! Why else would I have those feelings for her?"

At this Silver desperately tried to break from the chains holding him so he could reach through the bars of his cell and strangle the dark priest.

"You better pray to God that I never get out of here! Because if I ever do I'll kill you! I swear I'll kill you!"

"Such anger. Perhaps there is no salvation for you."

"Shut up you bastard!"

Invel watched as he struggled with all his might to break free only to be held back by the strong chains. After awhile he stopped to catch his breath.

"You know he looks just like you." Invel said.

"What?"

"Your son. He's grown up to look exactly like you except he has his mother's eyes."

"My son? Where is he? What did you do with him?"

"Well I couldn't bring myself to abandon the little foundling so I took him in and raised him as my own. You know I had always wanted a son but my loyalty to the church prevented me from having one biologically."

"First you kill my wife and then you steal my child?! What kind of a monster are you?!" Once again he tried to break loose from the chains. "Where is he?! I want to see him!"

"I'm sorry Silver but I'm afraid that you shall never lay eyes on that boy again. I've made it my mission to keep him away from temptation so that I may purge the demon in him."

"You're the only demon that needs to be purged here!"

Invel only gave him a glare and then left the jail cell, feeling no remorse for what he had done to Silver.

...

"There he is! On the wall! Get him!"

That night Natsu had broken out two prisoners and now the guards were after him. He climbed up the prison wall and was running across the roof tops, trying to dodge the arrows being fired at him. When he jumped from the roofs, the soldiers went to their horses and chased after him. He ran down an alleyway but it led to a dead end. Unable to think of any other means of escape, he ducked into the window of a nearby house.

"Where did he go?" One solider asked.

"I saw him go into the alley." Another said.

"He's gone."

"Check down there."

Natsu let out a breath of relief when the sound of horse shoes faded.

"Phew! Thank God they're gone."

"Ahh! A man! In my room!" He was startled by a shriek that filled the room. "How dare you!"

Next thing he knew books, perfume bottles, and bars of soap were being flung at him.

"Ow! Hey! Stop it! Ouch! That hurts!"

"That's the idea you pervert!"

At once Natsu recognized who the owner of the voice was.

"Lucy! Stop! It's me! Natsu!"

Lucy stopped throwing things then lit a candle to see if he was telling the truth.

"What are you doing here? And at this hour?" She asked.

"That's a little hard to explain right now."

"Alright but if you don't tell what's going on I'll be forced to assume the worst and cry out for my father."

"Okay, okay. I'll talk. You know that guy who's been helping prisoners escape from jail?"

"Yes. He's Judge Zeref's number one target even though nobody knows who he is."

"Well you're looking at him."

"You?! But I thought you wanted to be a lawyer."

"I did. I still do."

"What kind of lawyer breaks the law and helps criminals escape from jail?"

"Technically they're not criminals. They're people who have been in prisoned without any evidence. What this judge is doing is against the law and if I can just get evidence of it to the queen then he'll be stopped."

"While I admire your motive I have to tell you that what you're doing is crazy. If you get caught you'll be executed."

"I know it's risky but I can't just sit back and do nothing. How can I ever hope to be man of justice if I won't help the people who need it?"

"Well what exactly are you going to do?"

"Keep freeing innocent people while trying to find evidence against Zeref. I think the hard part will be getting it to the queen."

"I...I might be able to help with that."

"How?"

"My fiance is captain of the queen's royal army. He might be able to help you."

"No way! I don't trust that pretty boy."

"He is a firm believer in law and justice."

"He's also the judge's lap dog. He maybe useful in the future but don't tell him about me. In fact you can't tell anyone about me."

"You want me to keep the identity of Fiore's number one criminal? That could spell trouble for me and my father."

"Don't worry I'm very good at covering my tracks. None of my actions will lead to you. You don't even have to help me, all you gotta do is keep my secret."

"I don't know about this."

"Lucy I'm only doing this to help my people. If I don't help them who will?"

Lucy sighed.

"Considering that you're going up against Zeref, Fiore's top judge, jury, and executioner I've come to two conclusions. You're either very brave or very stupid."

"Given the choice I vote for brave."

"Let's hope so. For both our sakes."

"Does that mean you'll keep my secret?"

"Yes."

"Great. Thanks Lucy."

"You're welcome. Now get out of my house before someone sees."

"Right! Sorry."

He then jumped out the window and left.


	15. Chapter 15

Gray led Juvia and Carla up a ladder which took them to another level of the cathedral. This one had plenty of statues, bells, and stain glass windows.

"My this place is a lot bigger than it looks outside." Juvia said. "How long have you lived here?"

"All my life."

"What happened to your parents?"

"I don't know. Invel says that I was abandoned here when I was a just few months old. He took me in and raised me when no one else would."

"So you don't anything about where you were born? Or who your father was? Or your mother?"

"Invel always that she was the one who left me here. He said that she was to afraid of me. Of what I was. I'm a demon you know."

"Did he tell you that?"

"Yes."

"Well you don't really believe that do you?"

"Of course I do. I mean look at me. Don't you see a monster?"

"No."

"No?"

"No. I see a man who has arms and hands and fingers like me. A nose, a mouth, two ears, and a pair of legs like me. And he has the most gentle eyes I've ever seen. Sorry I don't see anything that convinces me that you're not human."

"Well look at these markings, these scars, they're pretty much all over my body."

"So?"

"And these didn't come from an accident, I was born like this."

"I repeat so?"

"So I'm not normal."

"Well just because you're not normal doesn't you're not human. Just look at me. Look at my clothes and my hair, it's blue. Is that normal?"

"No...Not really."

"Okay now do you think I'm not human because of that?"

"No but that's just a hair color."

"And these are just marks on your body. I won't lie to you, at first glance you did frighten me but I never thought for one moment that you weren't a human being."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. Invel shouldn't say that you're monster because it's not true."

"How do I know that I can believe you? That you actually see me as a human being? That you're not just pitying me?"

"Well..." She thought for a moment then smiled when she got an idea. "If I really thought that you were a monster would I do this?"

She then planted a soft kiss on his blackened cheek causing him to flinch away in shock. Juvia started laughing.

"What's so funny?" He asked.

"Your face is all red. I'm sorry, did I embarrass you?"

Gray's face was burning red all over and if his face had gotten any hotter he might have been blowing smoke out of his ears.

"I...I'm not embarrassed." He said desperately trying to hide his face in his shirt. "It's just that...I've never been kissed before."

"Oh...Well if it's any consolation you're the first man I've ever actually kissed. Unless you count my father." She giggled.

"Really? I'm the first? Huh...And I thought gypsies were..." He stopped talking when he realized how insulting he was about to be.

"Tramps? It's okay you're not the only one who thinks that."

"I don't...I mean...Invel always said that-"

"That gypsies are tramps? Thieves? And devil worshippers? I'm not surprised by that but he's wrong you know. Not all of us are like that. I love God and I've never stolen anything but I can't say the same for Jellal unfortunately."

"Who's he?"

"He's the leader of the gypsies and he brought me up after my parents died. He's a good man but he has sticky fingers."

They laughed at her joke.

"You know you're not at all what I expected a gypsy to be." Gray said.

"Well maybe you shouldn't believe everything Invel tells you."

"Gray where are you?!" An angry voice shouted.

Speak of the devil, the archdecon came running upstairs into the room.

"What is she doing here?" He asked getting more angry. "Gray what have I told you about disturbing those who come to the truth?"

"I-I-I..."

"It's not his fault." Juvia said. "I followed him up here. I wanted to talk to him."

"I see." He said calming down. "However he has chores to do. Now get going."

"Yes sir." Gray said leaving.

"Must you speak to him in such a cruel way?" Juvia said.

"I have no choice. It's the only way he'll learn."

"Learn what?"

"Not to give in to the darkness in him."

"What darkness? You say he's a horrible monster and yet he's gentle and harmless."

"You don't know him. You don't know where he came from. He was born from an evil union."

"That doesn't make him evil."

"Hmm...Tell me why is it that you show no fear or disgust when you're around him?"

"Because I see him for what he really is. A lonely and frightened man who just wants to be accepted."

"If you can see that in him then maybe you're not as twisted as I thought you were. After all you weren't born a gypsy. Maybe...Maybe I can help you reach salvation."

"I don't understand."

"Perhaps you could stay here and let me teach you."

"I...I don't think that would be a good idea." She said stepping away from him.

"Why is that?"

"I've seen the way you look at me."

"How dare you!" He snapped at her. "Accusing me of having such thoughts! I should've known that someone like you could ever be capable of any real goodness! Remove your sinful self from this holy place at once!"

Carla jumped into Juvia's arms, trembling with fear at his outburst. Juvia stroked her comfortingly while keeping her distance from Invel.

"Alright I'll leave but could you at least let me say goodbye to Gray?"

"No! And he shall have nothing more to do with you! Now leave!"

Juvia only glared at him then left taking Carla with her. Once she was gone Gray returned.

"Did she leave?" He asked.

"Yes. I made her."

"Why?"

"Because she was a gypsy and she was in our church! She would have tainted this holy place!"

"I don't know...I mean she was nice to me."

"Oh was she now? Well what do you know about people and their feelings?"

"Feelings? I...I don't know much about that but she said I was human. She said that I wasn't a monster. She..." His hand went to his cheek. "She kissed me."

"What?!" Invel shouted.

"And she smiled when she did it."

"Do you have impure thoughts about her?!"

"No! Of course not!"

"Why would you let that filth touch you?!"

"It wasn't like that! It was just a peck on the cheek."

"Gray people like her prey on people like you! They manipulate and decieve! With no remorse! They only care about themselves! People like her aren't capable of real love!" Invel then composed himself. "But of course I can't expect someone like you to see through her facade. Someone like you is prone to give into people like that. I must leave you now but I warn you, never think of her again. She will only bring about your end."

"Yes sir."

"Good now get back to work."

Gray nodded and left to do his chores once again feeling hurt and sad. Was Invel right? Was she just decieving him? Using him? Was it all and act? No. No it couldn't be. She saved him. She treated him like he was actually a person. She cared for him. He could see it in her eyes. They held a sincere kind of love and compassion that no one could ever fake. And it was that love and compassion she had that gave him hope that maybe, just maybe he could be accepted.


	16. Chapter 16

Juvia felt sorry that she left without saying good bye to Gray but she felt that if she stayed longer then Invel would hurt her and Carla.

"What kind of Archdecon is that man?" She asked Carla. "I suppose if he raised Gray then there must be some good in him still we better avoid him the best we can for now."

Carla nodded in agreement. Later she walked into the town square and started to dance for money while Carla performed some tricks. People walked by, some of them just ignored her, others gave her looks of disgust, but some were generous enough to toss a few coins her way. The day grew late and she prepared to take her leave when a soldier stopped her.

"Alright gypsy where'd you get the money?" He asked.

"For your information I earned it." She said gathering up the coins.

"Ha! Gypsies don't earn money! They steal it!"

"I've never stolen anything in my life. Now if you'll excuse me."

She placed the money in her pouch and tried to leave but he gripped her arm.

"Let go of me."

"Hand over the money and I will."

"No. It's not yours."

Carla hissed at the soldier and scratched ankle.

"Ow! Get away from me you little heathen!" He angrily kicked the white cat away.

"Carla!" Juvia gasped.

"Assaulting a solider is a very major offence."

"I didn't assault you!"

"Your demon cat did! Theft and assault, maybe I should bring you in for- Ow!"

Suddenly he was kicked by a donkey and sent flying into a wall.

"Oh those donkeys, so unpredictable huh?" A voice chuckled. It was Natsu. "You never know when they're going to give you a nasty kick. "Do you need to see a doctor sir?"

The solider stood up more angry than ever.

"I'll see a doctor after I arrest this filthy gypsy."

"What did she do?"

"She stole money."

"Do you have any evidence that she did it?"

"No but she's a gypsy with money and since when do gypsies earn money?"

"As a matter of fact I saw those people willingly give their money to her so I'm afraid you are mistaken."

"You saw it?"

"The whole thing. I also saw you grab her in a very rough manner and I just happen to be a lawyer and if I remember correctly if you purposely arrested this woman with no evidence to support your accusation and assaulted her for no good reason you could go to prison. Just so you know."

He gave Natsu a glare, gave another to Juvia, and finally left.

"Are you okay?" He asked Juvia.

"I'm fine. Thanks for the help though I do wonder why that donkey kicked him."

"Hmmm...Who knows?" Natsu grinned and held up a pin that had been in his pocket. Juvia gave a small giggle upon learning what he had done.

"So do you have a name sir?"

"It's Natsu."

"Hello I'm Juvia, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Same to you. Oh and this is my cat Happy."

"I have a cat too. Oh dear! Carla!" She immediately went to pick up the little white cat. "Are you alright Carla? That awful man didn't hurt you too bad did he?"

She purred against Juvia to let her know that she was fine.

"This is Carla. Say hello Carla."

She put her down to greet Juvia's new friends. She brushed up against Natsu's leg affectionately then went to sniff Happy. Now you'd never think that it was possible for a cat to experience love at first sight but that's what happened to Happy. He fell for Carla the minute he saw her. He started to purr against her, she rolled her eyes and recoiled.

"I think your cat has taken a liking to mine." Juvia said.

"Yeah but I don't think she reciprocates his feelings."

They laughed at his remark.

"Hey I know you, you're that gypsy girl who stood up for that poor man who was being tortured in the square the other day." Natsu said.

"Yes I am. Are you one of the spectators who were angry at me for ruining the show?"

"Hell no. That was horrible what he went through and the fact that those people found amusement in watching him suffer like that is disgusting. I admire that you had the guts to do something."

"I never knew that so many people could be so cruel."

"I learned about that kind of cruelty years ago."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"And I bet it's not your fault either."

"So judging by your attire is it safe to assume that you are a gypsy?"

"Yes I am one."

"You're not planning to pick pocket me are you?"

"I don't steal. I earn my money and I think you saw that I did that."

"I know I'm just joking. I know that not all gypsies steal."

"That's good but I can understand why so many people think that gypsies are thieves. Jellal and his gang are always robbing people. If I wasn't so grateful to him for taking me in I don't think I could put up with him. So you're a lawyer?"

"Well I will be once I finish taking my classes."

"Good luck with that Natsu. I'd love to stay and talk longer but I have to get back to business. Thanks again for the save."

"Hey here's something for your dancing."

He handed her a few coins from his pocket.

"Thank you." She put them into her pouch.

"You're welcome. See you around Juvia."

"You too. Come along Carla."

She and Carla left after that.

"Nice girl huh Happy. Happy?"

But the blue cat was completely fixated on the pretty white cat following the gypsy girl and his gaze did not leave her until she was gone along with her mistress. Natsu chuckled at the lovesick grin plastered on his furry face.

"Come on boy. We better head back before Erza gets worried."


	17. Chapter 17

As Natsu was walking home that night he noticed a man sneaking around the brothel. Now that wasn't unusual but a feeling in his gut told him that he should keep an eye on that man. He watched him climb up the wall of the brothel and slip through the window of Erza's bedroom. Sensing danger may come to his sister figure, Natsu immediately rushed upstairs into Erza's room and tackled the man.

"Hey get off of me!" The man demanded.

"Not until you tell me who the hell you are and why you're sneaking around here!"

"That's none of your business! Now get your hands off me you maniac!"

The sound of the floor making thumping noises is what brought Erza upstairs to her room.

"What's going on here?" She asked.

"This creep was sneaking into your room." Natsu said. "He was probably trying to rape you."

"No! I would never do such a thing!" The man said.

"Jellal? What the hell are you doing here?"

"You know this guy?" Natsu asked.

"Unfortunately yes. Natsu get off of him and go. I want to talk to him privately.'

"You sure that you'll be okay alone with this creep?"

"I think you know the answer to that. Now leave."

"Okay."

Natsu got off of Jellal and left the room. Erza then shut the door so no one could hear their conversation.

"Why are you here?" She asked him.

"I need to talk to you."

"About what?"

"About what happened between us years ago."

"Why do you want to talk about that? I know what happened. You ditched me."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did!"

"No I didn't!"

"Then what happened to you? Where did you go?"

"Jail!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you remember when we had very little to eat and you got sick from malnourishment? Well we didn't have enough money to buy food so I...I stole a loaf of bread and I got caught and they...They threw me in jail."

"You went to jail?"

"Yeah. It was supposed to be for ten years but I escaped after two. I've been on the run ever since."

"If that's true then why didn't you come back for me when you got out?"

"I tried to look for you but I couldn't find you anywhere."

"Then you didn't look hard enough!"

"I thought you were dead! You were so weak and ill the last time I saw you, when I couldn't find you I...I...I assumed the worst."

"I see." Erza looked down at her hands. "I didn't die Jellal, I found a way to eat but I didn't like it."

"Oh Erza."

"Don't you judge me okay? I didn't want to do this but a girl's got to eat."

"I'm not going to judge you Erza."

"But you're disgusted by me right?"

"No. Of course not but I don't want you to live like this anymore."

"How else am I supposed to live?"

"You could live with me."

"And steal to get what I need? Risk being thrown in jail for life? I know all about you Jellal, you pick pocket people for a living."

"Erza I tried working for money once. You know that but my employers never paid me enough and others wouldn't hire me because they saw me as a dishonest thief so in the end I guess I would just conform to their views."

"And how is that working out for you?" Erza put her hands on her hips.

"I get to eat more than I did when I was working," Jellal said, feeling frustrated that she, like everyone else, felt the need to to judge him.

"But you're always running, always hiding, always lying," said Erza, sighing. "Do you really want that kind of life?"

"You are in no position to lecture me in how I live!" Now he was just angry. She of all people should understand what it meant to do what it takes to survive.

"What's that supposed to mean?" How dare he judge her. At least what she did was honest work. She never took a penny she didn't earn.

"I won't judge you for your choices Erza but you're no better than me. The only difference is what you do isn't illegal."

"I never said that I liked being a prostitute!"

"And I never said that I liked being a thief! But like you I can't think of any other way to stay alive!"

"Get out!"

"Erza I'm not done talking to you!"

"Well I'm done talking to you! Now get out before I lose my temper! And you know how bad things get when I lose my temper!"

Jellal huffed but he abided by her wishes and left. She looked out the window and watched him until he was gone. Once he was out of sight she broke down and started to cry. She was ashamed and disgusted with herself. She never wanted Jellal to see her like this. She was more angry with herself than him. Angry that for all these years she thought that Jellal would be so cruel as to abandon her when in truth he actually went to jail for her. Now he's come back into her life and he's seen her as a filthy slut.

She felt a hand gently grasp her shoulder. Looking up she saw Natsu looking down at her. His face was filled with concern and he looked like that he was about to cry himself. He always made that look whenever Erza cried. It was because he couldn't stand to see her so hurt and upset. He was so used to seeing her so proud, strong, and happy. He wanted her to always look like that. He couldn't bear to see her sad.

"Please don't cry Erza. Don't cry." He told her. "I hate it when you cry."

She gave him a smile and wiped her tears away.

"It's alright Natsu. Just some old memories stirring up."

"Did that guy hurt you? If he did I'll beat him to a pulp."

"No. No he didn't do anything."

"Then why are you crying? You hardly ever cry."

"It's nothing. Really."

"You're lying."

"Natsu I just...I just don't want to talk about it right now. Can we just for right now, pretend this never happened?"

"Okay but you know that you can tell me anything right?"

"I know." She rubbed the top of his head affectionately. "I know."


	18. Chapter 18

At seven o'clock Lucy was sitting on top of the balcony of her house, sipping tea like she normally did in the morning when she was once again startled by the sudden appearance of Natsu.

"What are you doing here again?" She asked. "I thought you said that you wouldn't drag me into your vigilant justice."

"Don't worry I'm off duty."

"Then why are you here?"

"Can't a guy visit his friend?"

"Friend?"

"Yeah we are friends aren't we?"

"I think we're just acquaintances. I mean we barely know each other."

"And yet you're marrying a man that you hardly know?"

"Will you stop bringing up my marriage? Geez are you always this aggravating or just with me?"

"If it's any consolation I tend to aggravate a lot of people. Anyway I appreciate you keeping my secret and to prove it I would like to treat you for the day."

"How so?"

"Well I don't have a lot of money so I can't exactly give you everything that your usual wealthy friends would give you but it's equally as nice. At least I hope it is."

"Well what do you have in mind?"

"How does a picnic in the park sound?"

"Sounds like a date to me."

"Date? Oh no, no,no,no. No. Trust me I would never try to seduce a woman who was engaged to another man. No I'm just being friendly and trying to show my gratitude."

"Alright. I suppose a little picnic in the park would be alright."

"Great. Meet me at the park gate in an hour."

An hour later the two met at the park to enjoy a delicious lunch which included a bottle of champagne.

"My God this is delicious." She said after taking a sip from her glass. "How could you afford this?"

"Well I swiped it from Cana's private stash."

"Who's Cana?"

"A friend of mine who really knows her way around alcohol and if she knew that I had taken this she would kill me so let's keep this between us okay?"

"I have to keep another secret of yours? What other secrets do you have?"

"Do you really wanna know?"

"No. No I don't."

"So I'm curious what's gonna happen once you marry this guy?"

"Well Father will finally take his place among royalty and with my family fortune Loke won't be in dept in anymore."

"Wait a minute he's marrying you for your money?"

"Yes and I'm marrying him for his title and status."

"I know I'm not expert on marriage but shouldn't you love each other before you become husband and wife?"

"It's not that simple. The marriages in my family have always been arranged. It's to ensure that we remain rich or reach to a higher level of status."

"But what if you don't love each other?"

"In time we will learn to love each other. I happened with my parents."

"But what if it doesn't happen to you? Or what if you fall in love with someone else while you're still married to the guy?"

"That would never happen. I would be faithful to my husband."

"Even if you didn't love him?"

"Of course."

"I don't understand you rich people. You're supposed to be happier than us poor people yet you have loveless marriages."

"My marriage will not be loveless."

"How do you know that? You don't love him now so why would you love him later on?"

"You don't understand. You don't know how much pressure I'm under."

"Do you even wanna marry this guy?"

"It doesn't matter if I want to or not. If I don't marry Loke my father will never forgive me and he'll probably disown me."

"Just for not marrying a guy? Ouch, that's awful. What kind of father would do that? Then again I never knew my father so I have no room to talk."

"Oh right. I keep forgetting that you're an orphan. If I may ask do you know anything about your parents."

"No. Nothing. I was just found wandering around the church when I was three years old and when the soldiers couldn't find any families who were missing a kid they sent me to the orphanage. I tried to look for my parents when I was younger but what are the odds of an orphan ever finding their birth family?"

"Do you still look for them?"

"Sometimes but not as much as I did when I was little. I'm guessing that they either ditched me or they died. I know it's wrong of me to say this but I kind of hoped that they died because then that means that they loved me and wanted to keep me."

Do you think that you might have any other family out there? Brothers? Sisters? Grandparents?"

"If I can't even find out who my parents were, how am I supposed to find out who any of my other relatives were? I know that I shouldn't let it bother me-"

"Don't be silly. Lot's of people want to know where they came from. It's perfectly natural."

"Still I should be over this by now."

"I'm not an orphan so I can't say for that this is a true fact but I don't think orphans ever get over stuff like that. I know I wouldn't if I had never known who my parents were."

"Erza wishes that she never knew her parents were."

"Why is that?"

"Well she doesn't like to talk about it but she told me just the other day. Apparently her father was this abusive drunk who drove her mother to commit suicide when she was five and when she was ten she ran away from the maniac and has lived on the streets ever since."

"Oh my."

"In all the years that I had known her, I never knew that she had been abused as a child just like I did."

"You were abused as a child?"

He didn't answer her for five years.

"Yeah I was. The guy who ran the orphanage treated both me and all the other kids like crap. Impossible chores, barely fed us, daily beatings, and if we ever disobeyed him then...Then...Then..."

"Then what?"

"He...He would take us out into an alleyway where...Where he would hang us."

"Oh my God! He did that? To children? Innocent children?"

"Yep."

"How could anyone do such horrible things to a child?"

"It's called evil Lucy and believe it or not it exists in a lot of people."

"What happened to the other orphans?"

"I found out that sometime after Erza took me in my friend Laxus and all the other kids were adopted by his grandfather. The old man didn't even know that he had a grandson until much later. Last I heard they were all doing pretty well. "

"It's good that you all managed to get away and find homes but no child should have to live through abuse. I've never even heard of anything so horrible."

"I'm glad you feel that way. Not a lot of people care about what happens to orphans."

"Well I do."

She gave his hand a gentle grasp and smiled at him. He smiled back and the two continued to enjoy their lunch.


	19. Chapter 19

Back at the bell tower Gray found himself constantly thinking of Juvia. Invel had told him not to think about her, to forget her, to disregard her as no one important and he tried to. God knows he tried but he just couldn't. He was just so amazed and confused by her. He wondered how someone so beautiful could look upon his face without any fear or disgust. Why wouldn't she scream in fear or curse or spat at him whenever she looked at his face? Why wouldn't she flinch away whenever he came near her or tried to touch her? Why was it the only time she ever did scream it was because she feared that he had hurt himself when he fell over? Why did she kiss him on the cheek? Why did she laugh when he blushed? Why...Why did she see him as a man instead of a monster?

He glanced down at the bracelet she had given him all those years ago. Even as a child she still acted kindly toward him without showing any fear or disgust. Who would be insane enough to treat him like a regular human being? And it wasn't just her who treated him respectfully and kindly, he had also been given such treatment from that lawyer Natsu and that prostitute Erza. Those three people didn't think of him as a monster or a demon at all. But why? Poor Gray, he was so used to Invel's abuse and teaching him that he was a demon and that the people from the outside world were cruel that he found it hard to understand the kindness in other people. Juvia was literally the first person to treat him with love and compassion in all his twenty years of life.

As for Invel, he himself could not stop thinking about Juvia. He was once again feeling lust and desire toward a gypsy woman. Her eyes, her hair, her body, it plagued his mind. It was the same horrible lust and desire that he had felt for Mika and just like back then he believed that these feelings were the work of witchcraft. That Juvia was some evil witch who had cursed him to feel this way. He needed to be rid of her but he could just outright kill her just like he did the last time, people were getting suspicious of him and wondered if he had been breaking the law. Then again maybe he didn't have to kill her. After all she wasn't a real gypsy, at least not one by birth.

In that moment he decided that he had to have her. That he couldn't just let her be, no she needed to be saved and he was the only one he could save her or at least that's what he believed in his deluded mind. He would have her and if she refused him then he would burn her like the witch he saw her as. He began to wander the streets night after night searching for her but for awhile it was to no avail. At last he had heard about a band of gypsies camping out just a little ways where the local brothel was. Just outside of the brothel was Juvia who was counting the money she had earned from dancing. Now it just so happened that on that very same night Loke was making one of his special visits. When he saw her he decided to try out some of his charm on her.

"Well, well, look who it is? The dancing gypsy girl." Loke greeted her with a charming smile, Juvia just scoffed at him and started to walk away. Confused, Loke went after her. "Excuse me but have I offended you Miss?"

"No but you've upset and disgusted me." She said.

"What did I do?"

"I told you that man who allegedly attacked me was innocent but you didn't inform the judge and because of that he suffered those horrible beatings."

"You're mistaken I did tell the judge that he was innocent."

"Then why was he punished?"

"I wish I knew but I swear to you I told him that it was just a misunderstanding."

"And why should I believe you?"

"You don't have to believe me but it's the truth."

"Hmmm..."

"You know I must say that was quite a scene you put on that day. Interrupting a sentence like that is pretty risky and foolish."

"Well what was I supposed to do? Sit back and watch them beat him to death?"

"They were going to let him go."

"Oh really? And when would that be? After he bleed out on to the streets? How can soldiers like you just stand by and let stuff like that happen? If I'm not mistaken soldiers are supposed to protect and help people so why didn't you help him?"

"It's not that simple and besides it's not like he was anyone important. He was just some disfigured hermit-"

"How dare you!"

Juvia slapped Loke right across his face taking him completely by surprise.

"You should be ashamed of yourself!" She cried angrily. "Referring to him as if he's some poor, dumb, animal! He's a human being! A hurt and frightened human being who probably looks to people like you for help but you just ignore him!"

"Wow... You're a feisty one aren't you?" He said rubbing his cheek. "You know you could get into a lot of trouble for striking a soldier."

"Are you going to arrest me?"

"No."

"Why?"

"For two reasons. Number one I have a soft spot for girls and number two you have a point. Look I know I should've helped that guy out but what could I do? Judge Dragneel is my superior, I can't go up against him if I do I'll lose everything."

"So you're just afraid? Is that it?"

"Hey you think it's easy to stand up to people like Zeref?"

"Of course not. You think that I wasn't frightened for my life when I did that? I was but there was someone suffering right in front of me and I...I just couldn't do nothing."

"That's very noble of you. You know I find nobility very attractive in a woman."

He took her by the hand, kissed it and started to trail kisses up her arm but she quickly pulled her arm away.

"Sorry Solider boy but I don't get involved with men who are engaged."

"Oh!" Loke blushed. "You know about that?"

"Yes, word really gets around in the gypsy world."

As the two of them were talking, they were unaware that from the shadows Invel was watching them. Seeing Loke flirt with Juvia caused an insane jealousy to spark inside of him. A jealousy so insane and dangerous that it drove him to come out from the shadows and stab Loke in the back with a knife. Juvia screamed, alerting others to come running toward her. Invel quickly ran off before she or anyone else could see him enough to identify him properly. Among the people who came to see what Juvia was screaming about were a couple soldiers who believed that Juvia had been the one who stabbed Loke and they arrested her immediately.

"I didn't stab him!" She told them. "It was a man in a cloak!"

"You expect us to believe that?!" They told her.

"But it's the truth!"

Unfortunately they didn't believe her and she found herself locked in a jail cell and she was to remain there until her pending trial.

"Please let me out!" She pleaded to the jailer. "I'm innocent!"

"Silence witch!" The jailer snapped. "You just better pray that they find you guilty only of attempted murder and not witchcraft."

"Witchcraft? Why would I be found guilty of witchcraft?"

"You have been accused of using witchcraft and conversing with the devil and they are willing to testify at your trial."

"What?! But it's not true! Let me out! I've done nothing wrong!" But the jailer just walked away ignoring her.

For hours she pleaded and begged to be set free, swearing that she had done no wrong but no one listened to her.

"Please." She wept softly. "Please let me out."

She then began to cry herself to sleep.


	20. Chapter 20

Captain Loke did not die from the attack but he was left in a coma and the only suspect in the stabbing was Juvia. It was not long before her case was brought to trial unfortunately Juvia could not afford a lawyer and to make matters worse several witnesses claimed that they had seen her practicing witchcraft.

"She's an evil witch who summoned a demon to stab the captain!" They said.

"That's ridiculous!" Juvia said. "I have no such abilities and what motive could I possibly have for trying to kill that man?"

"It's obvious that you were infatuated with the captain so you sought out to seduce him but he was engaged so he rejected your advances which led to you trying to kill him with witchcraft." Judge Zeref said.

"It's not true! I hardly know that man!"

"Then why did you meet with him at a local brothel?"

"We just ran into each other on the street. The brothel just happened to be there."

"And what about witnesses claiming that you have been using sorcery? Playing with fire, talking with spirits, creating potions and charms."

"They're lying! I have done none of those things! Please you must believe me!"

But she was found guilty and was sentenced to hang the next day. Unknown to all, Invel had paid those witnesses to lie and say that they had seen her practicing witchcraft because he wanted her to die. That is of course if she rejected him. On the night before she was to be executed he went to visit her in her jail cell.

"Why are you here?" She asked him.

"Because I have come to save you." He told her.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm willing to tell Judge Dragneel that you were possessed by a demon when you stabbed the captain and that I had successfully exorcised it from your body. If I told him that you would be set free."

"But that would be a lie and besides I didn't stab him."

"It doesn't matter if you or didn't your guilty in his eyes but I can save you from death and eternal damnation. But I can only do that if you make me a promise."

"What promise?"

"Promise that once you our saved you shall forsake everything in this world, live in the cathedral with me, allow me to cleanse your soul, and be mine."

"You can't be serious."

"I've never been more serious about anything in my life."

"But I'm a gypsy. You're disgusted by people like me."

"But you are not a gypsy by birth. You were once pure and innocent until those vermin corrupted you, allow me to save you."

"It doesn't sound like saving to me. It sounds more like an eternal hell."

"Are you refusing my offer?"

"Yes I am! I'd rather die and be reborn in heaven than live on earth with you!"

"Then die you shall!" He snapped before walking away from the jail. "Die like the last witch who spurned my affection."

In the morning he returned to the cathedral to check on Gray. He found him sitting on the balcony gazing out to watch the people gathering in the square.

"Hey Invel what's going on down there?" He asked.

"They're going to hang that gypsy witch today."

"You mean Juvia?" Gray suddenly turned very pale. "But what for?"

"The wicked woman tried to use witchcraft to kill a soldier."

"But there must be some mistake, she wouldn't do that."

"Of course she would! She's a gypsy!"

"There must be some misunderstanding."

"I saw her do it with my own two eyes!"

"I don't believe that! She wouldn't! She couldn't!"

"Are you calling me a liar?" He asked in a threatening tone.

"No but...Maybe you made a mistake."

"I never make mistakes."

"Still do they have to kill her? Why can't they just lock her up?"

Gray hoped that if she had been sentenced to jail then maybe she would have been freed by that mysterious vigilante who had been sneaking into prisons at night.

"She's a witch Gray! A witch cannot live otherwise she'll cause destruction! Now I must go and attend to business with Makarov. Stay out of trouble while I'm gone."

Gray just couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew for a fact that Juvia was much too kind and good to hurt anybody. She had come to his aid when he was being tortured and she spoke to him like he was a human being instead of some deformed animal. A person that kindhearted was capable of witchcraft or murder. Why she was basically an angel in a human body and he wouldn't let that angel die.

Meanwhile down below in the town square Juvia's hands were tied and she was brought before the executioner wearing nothing but a tattered white dress. People kept sputing insults at her, calling her a witch and a whore. It broke her heart that so many people could harbor so much hate toward her. However among one of the spectators was Jellal who had to be held back by soldiers to keep him from rescuing her.

"You can't do this!" He shouted. "That trial was unfair! She didn't have a proper attorney!"

"Silence you scoundrel!" Zeref ordered.

"I will not! You would hurt an innocent child! You would see her murdered by your lies!"

"Be silent or I'll have you hanged next!"

"Jellal don't interfere." Juvia said. "I don't want you to die too."

"I won't let them do this to you Juvia! I can't bear the thought of you dying!"

"I'll be alright Jellal. I'll be alright."

She began to pray to God that her death would be quick and painless. She prayed that he would forgive her for all the sins she had committed in life and that he would welcome her into the kingdom of heaven when she died.

"No! I can't let you die! You're too good!" Jellal pulled a knife from his pocket and stabbed a soldier in the foot, he then darted for the stockade only to be shot in the shoulder by another soldier.

"Jellal! No!" Juvia screamed in terror. "Oh no! No!"

She was so overcome with shock and horror over what had just transpired that she fainted.

"Leave his body for the rats. He doesn't deserve a burial." Zeref said. "And now it is my civic duty to sentence this unholy woman to die. Executioner! Take her life!"

The executioner moved her body upward and placed the noose around her neck. He then prepared to pull the rope and the lever that would caused her to drop and snap her neck. Suddenly out of no where, Gray swung down from the cathedral and landed on top of the stockade. The soldiers tried to stop him but they underestimated how strong Gray was. He threw the soldiers off the stockade, took the unconscious gypsy girl into his arms, and ran back inside the cathedral, knocking out anyone who tried to stop him with one punch.

"You can't kill her now!" He shouted once they were inside. "The laws of sanctuary protect her from you!"

"Men seize the cathedral!" Zeref ordered.

"We can't sir." A soldier said. "The church is a place of peace, the military may not enter."

"Damn!" Zeref cursed. "Then place a guard at every entrance, the minute that woman or that man sets foot out of the cathedral kill them!"

"Yes sir!"


	21. Chapter 21

Up in the bell tower Gray gently laid Juvia on his bed and cut the ropes binding her. He hoped that he hadn't of been too late, that he had gotten to her in time. He checked her pulse, it was still there and she was still breathing. She was alive which was a huge relief to him.

Once he was sure that she was still living, he covered her with a blanket and left her to rest. Sometime later he heard her gasping, coughing, and screaming. He quickly ran into the other room to find that she had awakened with a terrible fright.

"Take it easy. It's alright." Gray told her gently.

"No! Don't! Please! I'm innocent!" She screamed. "I didn't do it!"

"It's okay Juvia. You're safe now, nobody is going to hurt you."

"Oh it's only you." She said when she realized who was with her. "I thought you were that awful judge or one of those soldiers."

She started to calm down a little.

"Where am I?" She asked.

"You're in my room." He answered.

"How did I get here?"

"I brought you here and in the nick of time too. A second later and you would have been a goner. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Just a little dizzy."

As her mind cleared she began to remember what had happened before she blacked out. At once it came in an instant, her being led to her execution, Jellal desperately trying to stop them from hanging her, then watching him get shot and left for dead.

"Oh no! Jellal!" She cried.

She started to get up from the bed and Gray gently grasped her shoulders.

"Whoa! What are you doing?" He asked.

"Jellal was shot! I have to find him! I have to know if he's alright!"

"You can't go back out there. If you do they'll kill you."

"But I can't just stay here!"

"You have to! There are soldiers at every entrance watching for you. You set one foot outside and you die!"

"But Jellal-"

"I will go check on him and find out if he's...Still alive okay?"

"You will?"

"Yes but you need to stay here and rest. Understand?"

"I understand."

"Good." He stood up and pulled something from underneath his bed which he handed to Juvia. It was a small whistle. "If anything happens while I'm gone blow on this and I'll come back as soon as I can."

"Okay."

"Now get some rest. I won't be long."

He left after that while Juvia laid back down in bed but with everything that had happened, she was too anxious and frightened to sleep.

Meanwhile back in the town square, Erza was on her way to spend the evening with a client when she noticed a trail of blood on the ground. Concerned, she followed the trail and it led her to Jellal, who was lying on the ground with a bleeding gash on his shoulder.

"Oh no! Jellal!" In terror, she rushed to her former lover's side and listened for a pulse. It was weak but it was still there. If he didn't get proper treatment soon he would bleed to death. She quickly tore off a part of her dress and pressed it to his shoulder to stop the bleeding.

"Erza you forgot your purse." Her friend Cana said running toward her but was taken aback by the sight of the injured man. "Oh my God! What happened?!"

"This man is hurt and is dangerously close to bleeding to death! You have to help me get him back to the brothel!"

Using the lace from her bodice, Erza tied the scrap of cloth to Jellal's shoulder so he wouldn't bleed anymore than he already had. Then she and Cana carried him back to the brothel where they tended to his injuries.

Rags soaked in alcohol were used to clean the gash and his shoulder was bandaged up firmly. He had also spiked a high fever from being outside for so long, he was burning up like hot coals in furnace. Erza carefully spooned water into his mouth to keep him hydrated and covered his body in ice to bring his fever down. Through it all she never left his side once.

"His fever is down." Cana told her. "Why don't you get some rest? He'll be alright."

"I'll rest later."

"He's not going anywhere you know."

"I know but I...I just can't leave him. Not until he wakes up."

"Suit yourself."

Cana left them alone. Erza gently brushed her hand down the side of his cheek.

"Oh Jellal." She said. "You finally robbed the wrong person. It's funny, just when I think you're out of my life for good you fall right back into it. What am I gonna do with you?"

After awhile he finally started to stir.

"Erza?" He said when he saw her.

"Hi." She smiled.

"What happened?"

"I found you lying in the street bleeding so I brought you back here and fixed your wound. Though how you received that wound is a mystery to me."

"Right now it hurts to remember."

"Then wait awhile. For now just rest."

"Hmm...If I didn't know any better I would say that you were worried about me." He said with a teasing.

"You idiot, I'm always worried about you. I'm always thinking about you."

"I'm always thinking about you too and...I still love you. I never stopped."

"I think your fever is making you delirious. Go back to sleep, we'll talk in the morning." She stood up and went to bed. She headed for the doorway but stopped and turned back at him. "Goodnight Jellal."

"Goodnight Erza."

She was gone after that. Jellal smiled, of all the people who could've come to his rescue, he never thought that it would be Erza. He thought that she was too angry at him. He thought that she had hated him. One could not imagine the joy he felt in his heart upon learning that the woman he loved still cared about him. Still thought about him. How he wished that she still loved him as much as he still loved her.


	22. Chapter 22

By morning Jellal's fever had broken and he remembered the entire events that had led up to him being in this situation. When Erza came into the room she found him all in a panic.

"Jellal what's wrong?" She asked him.

"Juvia! I have to get to Juvia!"

"Calm down who's Juvia?"

"She's a girl that I knew! They were going to hang her for witchcraft! I tried to stop them and that's when they shot me!"

"You mean that poor gypsy girl they tried to hang?"

"Tried? As in they failed?!"

"It seems so. I wasn't there when it happened. I only know what I've heard from other people."

"And what did you hear?"

"I heard that someone interrupted the execution and took her into the church. They claimed sanctuary for her so no one can go in to hurt her. I don't know if that's a fact but I didn't see the dead body of a young woman anywhere."

"So she's still alive?"

"Looks like it."

"Oh I hope so. You have no idea how much I hope she's alright."

Erza could tell that Jellal cared a lot about this gypsy girl. We're they in a relationship? Was he in love with her? But last night he had told her that he still loved her. That he had never stopped loving her. Then again he seemed to be very delirious. Maybe he was just talking out of his head.

"This Juvia seems to be very important to you." Erza observed.

"She's very important. I couldn't bear it if something ever happened to her."

Erza felt a twist of sadness in her heart. He had moved on. He had found someone else. Of course she couldn't blame him, after all she didn't exactly go running into his arms when she saw him again for the first time in so many years. And she had seen this gypsy girl, she was very pretty but so young. Much younger than Jellal.

Her sadness briefly turned to disgust and envy when she realized that Jellal was one of those men who were into younger women. She never took him for that type of men.

"Well I don't know her personally but I'm sure if you're interested in her she must be something special."

"Huh?"

"Of course I don't mean to criticize but she seems a little too young for you."

"Wait a minute you think that I'm in a relationship with her?"

"Well yes... Aren't you?"

"No! No she's just a kid I took into my care after her parents died."

"Oh..." Erza said feeling sheepish. "So you're not romantically involved?"

"Of course not! Eww... That's disgusting! I basically raised her. That would be like being romantically involved with my daughter or little sister."

"I see. If I may ask, why do they think she's a witch?"

"Because she's a gypsy and because they think she stabbed a soldier."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm telling you she's not a witch!"

"Not that. There's no such thing as witches. But are you sure that she didn't stab the soldier?"

"Yes. I know for a fact she could never be capable of such a thing. She's too kind to hurt anybody. Someone is setting her up."

"Do you know anyone who would do that?"

"No. The whole thing is just insane and the trial was completely unfair. She didn't have a proper attorney. I don't even think she had an attorney. But I need to prove her innocence somehow."

"What she needs is a lawyer, a good one and I think I know someone good enough for the challenge."

"You can afford a decent lawyer? I thought they were terribly expensive."

"Well I can't exactly afford a good lawyer but I raised a damn good one."

"Raised? You mean you have a kid?"

"Sort of. I didn't give birth to him, trust me I would never allow myself to get pregnant by one of these pigs. I rescued him from the orphanage after the guy running the place tried to kill him. He's been with me and the girls ever since."

"Well what do you know, we're both single parents."

"I guess you could say that. Except I didn't raise him alone, the girls helped out too. Believe it or not, prostitutes can be quite nurturing."

"So this boy of yours, is he a really good lawyer?"

"One of the best."

"Good enough to prove Juvia innocent."

"I believe so."

"How much does he charge? I can't pay him much. I can hardly pay him at all."

"Just pay what you have. He doesn't care about money, he only wants to do justice."

"Great. When can I talk to him?"

"Well right now I think that you need to rest for a little while longer. I'll talk to him about the case as soon as he comes back."

"I can't rest! Not when her life is at stake."

"I'm sure she's safe in the church."

"There's nothing safe in that church I assure you."

"I believe she has sanctuary but I'll go down to the church and ask about her. If she has sanctuary and I'm sure she does, then she's in no danger. At least for awhile."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Okay. I'll trust you. I don't know if I could live with myself if those devils out there had killed her."

"I think it'll sweet that you care so much for that girl. I must admit I never pictured you bringing up a child."

"I never thought I would do it either. But she ended up in a special place in my heart. She's one of the two most important people in my life."

"Who's the other?"

"Who do you think? You of course."

Erza blushed, Jellal chuckled. He always thought that she looked adorable whenever she got flustered or embarrassed.

"I think it's time for you to take your medicine again." She said trying so hard to hide her burning red cheeks. "I'll go get it now."

He smiled as he watched her leave. God he had missed her so much.


End file.
